Consequences of Change - Sequel to Redemption
by CoryMS
Summary: Final Chapter uploaded - Thanks to all who read my story. Riddick learns that rejoining the human race has it's hazards as evil tries to regain his soul
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1 

The Consequences of Change:

A "Pitch Black" Fanfic

A Sequel to "Redemption"

By Cory Smith

CHAPTER 1

The movie "Pitch Black" and all it's original characters are the property of USA Films, et al. This story is for entertainment purposes only and not for profit. All characters original to the story are the property of the author.

_He was going to kill her!_

No doubt about it. 

As soon as he found out about Toni and the baby, he'd have kittens.

But Audrey sighed tiredly when she realized that she had no other choice.

It was up to her to find a safe place for her friend Toni Platz and her month old son Hill. Toni's stepfather, Burt, was a real work of art. A lazy, crazy son of a bitch that liked to hit first and talk later. Losing her mom four years ago when she was twelve, Toni had been at the mercy of her stepfather's skull fucked mind ever since.

He'd finally snapped earlier that morning and threatened to kill the baby if he ever saw it again. Toni escaped from the house while he slept off a bender. Running to Audrey in tears, terrified beyond belief. 

Audrey had met her in a math class six months ago and they had become close friends quickly. She always thought of it as like attracting like. Though they looked nothing alike, Toni had the same haunted look that Audrey once had. But without the bravado. She was just one beaten puppy that was trying to stay unnoticed and therefore not a target.

When Audrey had taken her under wing, she was already five months pregnant by her slug of a stepfather.

She held the sleeping baby as she led her frightened and weary friend towards the apartment she shared with her own "family." Looking back, she saw Toni nervously glance over her shoulder. Waiting for the psychofuck of a stepfather to come after her. Now more than ever, Audrey was grateful for her adoptive father and mother. 

Richard Carolyn might be a work of art in his own right, but Audrey never doubted his love for her. A quite man, he radiated an aura of menace. He kept his head clean shaven and his eyes covered with goggles. His cafe au lait skin highlighted his muscular build that was usually encased in all black. His voice, a deep and rough baritone, had been known to cause people to lose control of their bladder.

He could be moody, mean and stubborn - no doubt about it. But she knew that if danger ever came her way, it would have to go through six foot four, two hundred fifteen pounds of purely lethal strength to get to her. He would die for her. Whenever the old fears came to haunt her in the cold night, that thought alone calmed her and allowed her to sleep.

Her adoptive mother was the complete opposite. Zarifa Cholena, Zar, was the antithesis of Richard Carolyn. Short and pudgy she was also nurturing, outgoing, demonstrative and loving. She gave Audrey the stability that had been so missing throughout most of her fifteen years. Her gentleness and understanding healed the scars of the past and smoothed over any conflicts that arose in the home. Not a beautiful woman, she was nonetheless pretty with her curly brown hair, bright blue eyes and freckles. And most of all, her ready smile.

Adored by Richard, she emanated love as only a woman with a tragic past could. She taught Audrey by example that surviving in spirit was as important as keeping the body alive.

Together Richard and Zar made a home for Audrey. The first she had since very early childhood. 

And now she was going to disrupt that happy home by bringing in trouble. And through no fault of their own, that's exactly what Toni and Hill were. Trouble.

But what else could she do?!

She couldn't turn away Toni when she'd found Audrey in the shopping mall they always hung out at. The girl was a pathetic mess. Skinny and weak in the first place, she hadn't yet recovered from the birth. Her pale skin and lank blonde hair emphasizing the shadow's under her green eyes. She'd been in tears and when pressed to explain what was wrong. Breaking down and telling Audrey the whole ugly story. 

Audrey was almost nauseous when she finished listening. After all she had seen and been through herself, she still found it hard to fathom how anybody could treat another human being that way. Especially a young girl and a baby.

Toni had begged her to hide herself and Hill. Immediately Audrey agreed. And knew she would have to get Richard involved. There was no way she could handle this on her own. Not even Zar would be able to do this one by herself. Because when, not if, but WHEN Burt Leffner came looking for Toni, there was going to be some ugly shit going down. The kind that Richard Carolyn handled like a pro.

Finally coming to her apartment, she took a deep breath. Girding herself for the coming explosion. Maybe she'd get lucky and Richard was in a good mood. Well, he was never in a _good_ mood. She'd settled for a _not pissed_ mood then. Activating the voice lock, she ushered Toni and the baby in before her as the door opened then closed.

Richard Carolyn was in a pissed mood. 

Work had been a bitch. The assholes who toiled along side him on the loading docks just seemed to get more stupid as time went on. The urge to tell his foreman to take the job and stick where the sun don't shine was almost too strong to resist. But then common sense took over and made him realize that he needed the job to support Zar and Audrey. It didn't mean that he had to like it though. Or be nice about it.

He'd already been edgy due to the lack of sex. Zar had been on her period. Normally a highly sexual man in the first place, he was especially wound up last night. So he told her not to worry about a little blood and mess. But she'd just rolled her eyes at him and told him to get a hobby. It wouldn't kill him to abstain for a few days, like he normally did. 

__

Get a hobby?!

Hell, didn't the woman know she WAS his hobby?! 

The world he used to inhabit, one of death and darkness and soul destroying self-loathing, had been replaced with life and love and the gift of redemption. She had given him that new life. She had become his life. And he got very cranky when he didn't have complete access to the pleasures of that new life.

With all the annoyances in his life going on at that minute, he didn't need any more. That should've been his first clue that something worse was coming along.

Looking up at the sound of the door opening, he watched Audrey, holding a sleeping baby, usher in a wan looking teen age girl. The alarm bells started going off in his highly sensitive mind. If trouble had a smell, it smelled like this kid and her brat. 

Great, just what he needed. 

He knew with one look at Audrey's face that she was bringing the girl and the baby to him for protection. The old him, sometimes he would say the true him, would have been the last person in the world anyone came to for protection. But a little tragedy on a death filled planet called Taurus 2 had changed all that.

Before the crash landing, he'd been Richard B. Riddick. One of the most feared men in the known galaxy. His brutality in dealing with his murder victims was legendary. Seen more as an animal on two legs rather than a man. But the crash of the Hunter-Gratzner had changed all that.

The survivor's, including Audrey (who was calling herself Jack at the time), had grudgingly looked to him for existence. Nobody had ever relied on him before. Even if they had, he wasn't sure he would have helped them.

But something had touched him about Audrey, Imam and Carolyn Fry. Touched a heart that he had thought long dead. And he found himself risking his life to save theirs. 

He had crashed on that planet Richard Riddick, psychopathic killer, a chained animal with a bit in his mouth, feared, hated. A master at the skull fuck who had let some hack doctor "shine" his eyes. It had given him the ability to see in the dark. Handy in prison, though it had it's disadvantages in the light of day. But then, he hadn't been expecting to see too much daylight. Incapable of any emotion that didn't help with survival. He had flown away from the planet Richard Carolyn, hero to all, father to Audrey, friend to Imam. A man whose soul had been reborn due to the life Carolyn Fry had sacrificed. 

But he hadn't let himself totally rejoin the human race. Some part of him had resisted letting go of the old Riddick. Zar had changed all that.

She had given him unconditional love and acceptance. Valued him for his past as well as his abilities. She had valued him for himself. But he'd almost fucked it up.

Came within an inch of losing Zar's life and love. And almost killed Audrey with his own stubbornness and unwillingness to accept his new lease on life. Unwilling to accept that he was worthy of love. Whether it be a woman's, a child's or a friend's. Driving her to attempt suicide.

Fortunately he'd had gotten a brain in his head before Audrey died. His blood had saved her. His Profearaben tainted blood. And the fact that he, and only he, had been the one that could save her from death, had given him an extra sense of responsibility toward his new family.

Part of him didn't like that responsibility. The old part. There was so much freedom in thinking only of yourself.

But the even older part of himself, the part that was still a lonely child, abandoned soon after birth to a liquor store trash bin, raised by uncaring foster families, told him he had everything he had ever wanted. He was needed, truly needed, for the first time in his sorry ass life. If responsibility was the price for that need, then so be it. It was a small price to pay for the love and acceptance that Zar and Audrey gave him.

Acknowledging the responsibility didn't mean he had to welcome more of it heaped on him though.

As he looked Audrey cradling the tiny baby, he had no doubt that was exactly what was in store for him. He was comfortable admitting his love for the skinny teenager. She was definitely a kid worthy of his respect. Tall for her fifteen years, her hair was only a little longer than his. A thin, dark layer of fuzz really. It was her eyes that really stood out. Big and blue, they were the feature of her elfin face that caught most peoples attention. They could be bright with bravery or bright with fear. 

Once again, Audrey wanted Richard to make the bad things go away. In his mind he let himself breathe a little sigh of weariness as he thought of the duties that came along with loving people. 

It's not that he disliked Toni Platz. 

When Audrey had started to bring her to their home, he recognized right away the similarities in life that had made Audrey take her under her wing. But the girl was one of those born victims. He had always been able to spot them a mile away. She wasn't like Audrey. Audrey fought back until she just couldn't take it anymore. Only then did she give in. Toni had never developed that sense of determination to survive. Life just kept heaping more and more on her, and she just came closer and closer to the grave.

Unfortunately, people like Toni seemed to taint those around them with the same brush of disaster that was befalling them. Audrey could be one of those people. He wouldn't let her get hurt just because she felt sorry for some weakling. He knew of Toni's stepfather and that he was the disaster just waiting to happen. 

Burt Leffner worked on the loading dock next to his. He made the Riddick of the past look like a cantankerous old man. Richard had never met him, but he'd seen him and he'd heard the stories of the man's diabolical rages and his perverted treatment of women. There had been rumors that he had killed Toni's mother. He'd even done time in a slam for a few years. All it had made him was meaner and more warped. On that point at least Richard could understand. It had done the same thing to him. He didn't want the sorry excuse for a human being anywhere near Zar or Audrey.

So he hadn't gone out of his way to make Toni feel welcome whenever she had visited Audrey. He wasn't cruel to her, just not talkative. And he would stare at her with his un-goggled eyes. Knowing he was making her uncomfortable.

He hoped she would move on to someone else's life. Get her out of Audrey's. But Toni, heavily pregnant, scared and brutalized, had clung pathetically to the strong and sympathetic Audrey. It must of been a repercussion of the new soul he was sporting around, but he hadn't been able to do anything more brutal to scare her away. So he contented himself watching out for Audrey. Making sure she never went anywhere near Burt.

But that wouldn't be the issue now. Not if he was interpreting the look on Audrey and Toni's faces. They wouldn't be going near Burt. Burt would be coming to them.

And Richard was going to have to make sure no one got hurt. Well, maybe Burt could get hurt. That would be just fine. But he knew he had to avoid trouble. 

He was an escaped convict after all. And even though the authorities thought he had died back on Taurus 2, thanks to Audrey and Imam, he was sure his history of being able to survive tremendous odds had some people questioning the veracity of his death. All it would take is some interplanetary bulletin about a man with altered, silvered eyes being involved in an altercation and that would set off alarms throughout the galaxy. All Hell would descend on Polaris Station, his home for the last year and a half. He had no doubt it would suck Zar and Audrey into it's cauldron along with him.

So Burt, when he came (and he would come), would have to be dealt with quietly and quickly. Permanently.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 2

When Audrey and Toni had come through the door and seen him sitting at the table, they had stood stock still. Trying to figure out a way to tell Richard about the trouble that was sure to come.

He was staring at them like a snake about to strike. A very grumpy, irritated, big snake. It didn't help the flow of words. But finally Audrey seemed to take a deep breath and gird herself to handle his anger. She was sure she was going to experience it when the tale was done.

Nervously wetting her lips, she glanced at the miserable Toni. She figured it would go better if Toni wasn't in Richard's sight at the time. She knew he'd never been too keen on her, though she didn't know why.

"Why don't you take Hill into my room and lay down?"

Toni grabbed the chance to escape with evident relief.

"Okay! Thanks, Audrey." Walking cautiously in front of Richard as if she thought he was going to grab her, she took the baby from Audrey and hurried from the room.

Never taking his eyes from Audrey, he waited till he heard the soft swoosh of the door closing before he spoke.

"Out with it Jack... I mean Audrey. Damn, I can't stop calling you Jack." She would always be his Jack. 

Grateful for something to talk about other than the coming mess, Audrey latched on.

"Yeah...why do you call me Jack sometimes? Zar even does it."

Richard knew she was stalling. He'd let her have a small reprieve. A very small one.

Audrey had suffered permanent memory loss after her suicide attempt. A combination of the interrupted cryo-sleep from the crash, the trauma to her brain due to a lack of oxygen from the loss of blood and the Profearaben (a body-chemistry altering drug) in his blood that he gave her in a transfusion, was the mostly likely cause. She hadn't remembered anything after stowing aboard the Hunter-Gratzner. Everything after that, almost a year of her life, was gone.

She didn't remember the crash of the ship on the planet that teemed with virulent life. That she had led the survivor's to believe she was a boy named Jack. She didn't remember him, Fry, Imam or Zar. She didn't remember that Richard was really Riddick, an escaped convict who turned out to be her savior and best friend. Or that Zar had taken the three weary survivor's in when they had managed to make it to Polaris Station. She didn't have any recollection of Zar and Richard's being lovers. Of Richard stalking and killing a man from Zar's past. A man named Elson Brenner who had orchestrated the horrifying murders of Zar's child and husband years before. Who had left her raped and dying.

She didn't remember his breakdown in the alley where he had killed Brenner. He had lost his grip on reality after watching Brenner strangle Zar to death. Or so he had thought at the time. Till Jack had come to the alley and roused him to the fact that Zar was still alive.

She didn't remember his desertion of her and Zar. The seven month span of time where he had succumbed to the demons of his past. Sure that he was the worse thing that could be in their lives. Never contemplating that he was the best.

She didn't remember the ugly confrontation between herself and Richard at his dive of an apartment. The physical attack he had made himself carry out. The brutal words of repudiation and humiliation he had hurled and shoved down her throat. The final threat of rape and death that had been the severing blow to the love Jack had felt for him. All done with the ass backwards idea that he needed to keep them out of his life for their own good. That all he could bring them was death and destruction. And he had. But the Alliance Security Forces and their hired mercenaries hadn't been responsible for driving a fragile teen-age girl to slit her wrists. He had.

It had taken Jack's close brush with death to wake him. That and the love and forgiveness of a woman he knew he wouldn't deserve ever in a million years. But finally he'd seen the light of redemption. The chance of a new life with a new soul. The chance to be someone else other than Richard B. Riddick, convict and murderer. 

For Jack's, now Audrey, sake, he and Zar had agreed not to tell her his real name or past. Or to tell her of the rift between Richard and Audrey that had resulted in her quest to kill herself. The hadn't even told her that she _had_ tried to commit suicide. She had awakened a new person in that hospital bed. One who never had looked at him in fear and loathing. He was a brand new hero to her again. He selfishly wanted it to remain that way.

But old habit's died hard. And though he loved the new Audrey, he missed the irrepressible Jack also. The Jack that had a bad ass attitude so thin you could see through it. The Jack that had shaved her head in imitation of him. The Jack that had so willingly lied about him to the merc ship they had encountered soon after escaping Taurus 2 and it's beasts. The Jack that had cried out his name whenever a nightmare had invaded her sleep.

So he called her Jack unconsciously. 

"When the Hunter-Gratzner crashed, you were trapped in your cryo-tube. Two more survivor's, free miners called Zeke and Shazza, torched you out. You told them your name was 'Jack.' You did it to have a better chance of not being messed with, and maybe fool anyone looking for a runaway named 'Audrey McAllister.' It wasn't until later that it came out you were a girl."

Audrey sat stunned. She never would have envisioned calling herself "Jack." Being that brave.

"How'd they find out?"

"I knew from the start something wasn't quite right about it. You looked like a boy with cropped hair and the clothes. But you didn't _smell_ like one. There were some creatures on the planet that we had some trouble with. They tracked their prey on the scent of blood. I kept smelling blood, but I knew no one was bleeding from a wound. You had started your period and they were signaling you out. I saw them do it and put two and two together."

Richard smiled without joy at the memory of the reaction he had gotten with his announcement that Jack was a girl. The smile turned more sincere as he watched Audrey's face turn red. She had been embarrassed by his mentioning her period. It always amazed him how people were so uptight about the natural workings of the body. They were just part of being human. Disgusting to him was watching a man's entrails escape from their cavity due to a shiv swipe. Disgusting was a mother selling her child for drugs. Disgusting was throwing a baby to it's death in a trash bin. Disgusting was watching an officer rape a child.

"Oh."

The one word sentence she uttered let him know she didn't want to talk about it anymore. Afraid he would say something embarrassing again.

But she wasn't about to bring up Toni and Hill again either.

He would have to drag it out of her.

So be it.

"Why are they here Audrey?"

Audrey sat down in the chair next to his, earnestness and anger pouring off her in waves.

"Her stepfather raped her! He's been using her ever since her mother died. She's thinks he killed her! What kind of man does that to his own family? A kid?"

Audrey ended with tears in her eyes. Looking to him to explain why life such a bitch. 

He returned her stare with studied nonchalance. Inside he was seething with the rage that always seemed to inundate him whenever someone hurt a kid.

He couldn't give Audrey the answer's she needed. They were answer's she needed not just to explain Toni horrible life, but also to explain why her own earlier life was so sucky. He knew there was more to her past than she had told them. Actually she had told them next to nothing. Neither he nor Zar knew what had made her run away. The therapist Zar had sent her to after the wrist slicing affair most probably was the only one who knew. 

Richard knew the repercussions of repressed memories. He'd seen Zar almost torn in two because of them. As long as Audrey didn't show any signs of emotional distress because of it, he was fine with the situation as it stood. Something's a man just didn't want to know about the people he loved. Things he couldn't do anything about.

"Some people are just warped fucks, kid." His mind gave a snicker of self-disgust. Not so very long ago they were saying the same thing about him.

In all truthfulness, was he really that different than Burt Leffner? Oh his crimes were perpetrated on a different type of victim, never children. And yes, many of the stories attached to his legend were just embellishments to raise the bounty on his head or make more money off his name in the prison fights organized by the warden. 

But those facts didn't negate the fact that he _had_ perpetrated some really heinous acts against his victims. Part of the responsibility lay with Profearaben. The drug forcibly injected into his body by the warden with a vested interest in the prison fights. It gave a person, if they survived the injection, amazing healing abilities. Along with better vision, hearing, quicker reflexes and a higher tolerance to pain. And, oh yeah, turned them into psychopath's.

The real question lie in how much responsibility Profearaben had for his crimes and personality, and how much was just his natural state? A result of his upbringing lacking caring and love. Would he really have been that much different if he'd never been injected? Hell, would he have been different if he'd been born to a mother that had actually wanted him? It could be genetic for all he knew.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda. It didn't matter anymore. He was who he was. And what he was. Rolling it over in his mind again and again accomplished nothing.

"The baby's his isn't it?"

Audrey looked down at the floor and nodded. Ashamed for Toni.

"He's going to come after her Audrey. You know that. He's not going to give up what he thinks of as being his. There's going to be trouble. Trouble I can't afford."

Audrey head snapped up at his chiding tone. Anger flashing out of her blue eyes, her neck stiff with fury.

"He threatened to kill Hill if he ever saw him again! Toni told me he hates the baby. Sees it as a threat to his time with her. What was I supposed to do Richard?! Let him kill the baby?! And what do you mean 'trouble you can't afford?'"

"Come on kid, you didn't really think I was clean as the driven snow did ya? Let's just say I don't want any attention from the ASF. That means I don't go around inviting men like Burt Leffner into my life."

Audrey gave him a considering look. Really looking at him for the first time since she had come to in the hospital almost six months ago. She remembered the flash of fear in seeing the tall and muscular man leaning against the wall in her room. But then she saw his milky eyes and the fascination had set in. Awe was added when she marveled at his size and intimidating face. She knew instinctively that this man would never harm her. That he would protect her with his life if necessary. It didn't make sense considering she didn't even know who he was.

She remembered that he almost seemed nervous around her. Like she could lash out and hurt him at any time. Ridiculous!

Then Zar had reintroduced herself and Richard, telling her what had happened over the last year. Audrey had been distracted from further investigating the strange bond that invisibly pulsed between her and Richard. When they had taken her home, she had been too busy just trying to cope. But he was always there for her. Talking to her, helping her, giving her strength to fight the fear of knowing she had lost a year of memories.

One day she had built up the nerve to ask him some personal questions. There were so many things she wanted to know about the man that represented the first true security she'd ever had.

She asked him why his eyes were like polished disks. He'd responded that he'd been a deep bed Sargimite miner and that some of them had an operation that made it easier to see in the dark. 

She asked him why he kept his head so closed shaved. He'd told her it was for convenience and it kept him looking mean. She had understood the convenience part. But why he would want to intimidate people left her confused. 

So she asked him why? His face became instantly closed off from her. Unsmiling, he'd told her it wasn't anything she needed to know. She'd gotten the "don't tread on me" message and backed off. Fearful of making him mad at her and withdrawing his friendship.

Wanting to thaw his sudden reserve she asked if she could get the same kind of haircut. She was rewarded with the biggest smile she ever seen him give. His laughter roared throughout the room as he threw back his head in joy.

Together they had shaved their heads. Zar had come in and shaken her head in smiling exasperation and confusion. But there were no barriers between Audrey and Richard after that day. Though she knew not to press about his past. She understood. She didn't want anyone asking about hers either. 

And now he was all but admitting that he was wanted by the law. She felt a little tremor of fear as the knowledge that she might have put him in jeopardy took root. She'd never dreamed there'd be these kind of consequences in helping Toni and Hill. But it still didn't change the facts.

Richard watched as fear for him slowly bloomed over her young face. He was still amazed at the love this kid gifted him with. 

Taking pity on her, he decided the milk had been spilt. He might as well as make the best of it. Toni and the baby boy were here. There was no going back now. 

"Alright. We'll deal with the rest later. Zar will be home soon and she'll need to know what's going on. Huh, she'll probably be thrilled at what you did. Both of you are crazy with compassion. Even if it could get you killed!

Why don't you get Toni something to eat. Did she bring anything to feed the baby with?"

Knee weakening relief poured through Audrey. He was going to let them stay! He would protect them if Leffner came. Richard would figure a way for this to work.

"Yeah, she brought a bag of clothes and stuff for her and Hill. I'll go get them in a while. She's exhausted! Can we let her sleep for little bit?"

"Yeah, fine." He paused and a hard look came into his eyes. A calculating expression that showed he was gearing himself up for a fight. "Audrey, don't answer the door. For anyone. Let me get it at all times. Understand?"

He was anticipating Leffner's reaction.

"Okay. I understand."

She got up to start getting dinner ready for Zar. Not something she usually did. But she figured she owed the two of them extra housework since she was dumping some pretty heavy duty shit on them.

It made her grateful that she had the kind of family she did.

"Thanks. For understanding. And for backing me up."

"Don't thank me yet kid. If it comes down between you and Zar's safety versus Toni and the brats, well guess whose shit out luck? I feel bad for them. I really do. But I won't allow anyone to hurt either one of you. Period."

Audrey could only nod in understanding. Praying it never came to that point.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 3

She knew he wasn't anywhere near to falling asleep. The arm wrapped around her was too busy playing with her stomach. Tickling her and keeping _her_ awake.

Zar tried to block out the feathery caress brushing along her skin. Any other time it would have been a turn on. Tonight it was just an annoyance. She was so damn tired. It had been a bitch of a day at the unloading pit. And to be blindsided with Toni and Hill had just been the icing on the cake.

She understood Richard wasn't doing it consciously. It was just a habit he indulged in whenever he was thinking about something. He would rub his fingers around in circles along whatever portion of her skin that his hand happened to be resting on. Eventually he would fall asleep, or start making love to her. But tonight it had been going on for well over an hour. It was getting on her nerves.

It was the case of Toni and Hill. He'd been laying low for so long that it felt unnatural for him to let a situation that could mean trouble come so close to home. 

The part of him that had learned to care about people was probably engaged in war with the part that told him not to get involved.

Maybe if she talked with him about it, he would be able to get some sleep. Maybe he would _let _her sleep!

Shifting so that her back no longer rested against his chest, she twisted so that they were face to face. As she figured, his eyes were wide open. She could barely see them shine in the dark room. Though she was sure he could see her as if it were the middle of the afternoon.

Resting her hands on his hair covered chest, she nuzzled her lips against his throat.

He was such a good man! 

Strong in body as well as mind. He gave her security. He gave her love. He gave her life meaning. 

Not that he couldn't be an irritating son of a bitch. Most times it was his way or no way. And it took an amazing amount of talk and energy to get him to see a view different from his own. But she had no doubt that he would have her back no matter what shit life threw at her. 

"Did I wake you? Sorry."

"No, you didn't wake me. You never let me get to sleep in the first place!"

His hand moved to run his fingers through her hair as he chuckled softly.

"Well since you're awake, wanna do it?"

Zar couldn't help but laugh. The man was irrepressible. And irresistible.

"Is that all you think about?"

"With you? Always."

She didn't feel any tell tale appendage rubbing against her stomach so she knew he was teasing. He didn't let the lighter side of his personality show very often. She knew she was blessed to be the one who saw it the most.

"Sorry, oh-sex-machine-of-my-dreams, but I'm beat. Besides, I don't really think that's what's got your brain all riled up. It's Toni and the baby isn't it? Leffner has you worried, doesn't he?"

Pressing a kiss to the top of her head he leaned back so that he was staring at the ceiling.

"I've a got a bad feeling about the whole set-up."

Zar stayed quiet. She knew better than to second guess his intuitions. He had lived by his instincts for too long not to know when they were reliable.

She wished she could suggest a solution. But the fact was that Toni and the baby needed him. He was there last hope. The authorities weren't going to help. Leffner had all but bragged that he'd killed Helen Platz and nothing had been looked into much less done. If murder didn't get their attention, child molestation wasn't going to have much of a chance.

He'd been in correct in his assessment of her reaction to Toni and Hill running to them. She had been proud of Audrey. But she also knew, from the look on his face, that he was not thrilled with the situation. 

It wasn't just the fact that compassion came out for only those few people who meant something to him. He'd seen too much and been through too much to have sympathy for others. He'd found a way to survive, they would have to find their own.

What really stopped him from jumping on the band wagon was the fact that Zar and Audrey could be put in danger. Totally unacceptable.

"There's not a lot we can do about it now. They're here and I'm not going to throw them out! It's a young girl and her baby Richard! They have no one else but us. All we can do is hope Leffner keeps his distance. He's probably like most bullies. Real brave when the victim is weaker than him. But develops a serious case of blue balls when they're not by themselves anymore."

Richard snorted quietly and turned to face her once again. So that she could look into his face and not avoid seeing what kind of man he really was. 

"You actually naive enough to believe that Zar? If the position's were reversed, and I was in Leffner's spot and he in mine, do you think all of you would stop me from coming after them?"

Zar knew the answer. No, nothing would've stopped Richard B. Riddick if he wanted something bad enough. The reminder of what kind of man he was, and could still be, made a chill run up her spine. She managed to push his past to the back of her mind, most of the time. He, on the other hand, never let himself forget. 

At the same time, she didn't think there were too many people on the same level as Riddick either.

"Point taken. But, I think you're giving Leffner much too much credit. Do you really think he's on your level? Has your smarts? Your...single mindedness?"

He heard the self-denial in her voice. She was pussyfooting around calling him what he was. A cold-blooded murderer. He couldn't blame her. Not many women wanted to admit they were in love with a man who exhibited psychopathic tendencies. And when he acted normally, like he had for the last six months or so, she could lie to herself and pretend he was just a guy with a bad temper. But when the shit hit the fan, and the more disturbed parts of his personality came to the forefront, she had to face facts. 

Her putting him above Leffner in the lethal department was only her way of putting a positive spin on a bad situation. That was _so_ his Zar. Always looking for the silver lining. Never suspecting that the silver twinkling in the cloud could be a shiv.

"He doesn't have to be another "Riddick." Everyone has a lucky day. Finds the weak spot of a tougher opponent. It only takes one pulse pistol blast, one swipe of a shiv. I may be "enhanced", but even I can die. Came damn close to it on Taurus 2. I don't give a flying rats ass about dying myself. But if I go down, that leaves you and Audrey fair game.

I think I'm going to have put the fear of Riddick in him though. Maybe he'll back off. It's either that or let him come to us. I'd rather meet him on neutral territory. Less...mess...that way if things go sour. Either way, it's going to get rough."

She silently conceded his point. She'd seen first hand what he was saying. Brenner had come so close to killing him. Another chill swept through her frame. Only this one was in fear _for_ him rather than because of him.

He felt it and read it the wrong way. Thinking he was scaring her with all his talk of "taking care of things."

"Hey, hey! You know I wouldn't let anything happen to you!"

"I know! I'm more worried about what could happen to you. It brings back Brenner all over again."

Lying to her had always been anathema to him. He'd only done that when absolutely necessary. But that didn't mean he couldn't take her mind off the situation.

Cupping her head gently in his large palm, he brought her mouth to his. Invading her mouth with his tongue passionately and savagely. Giving her a soul deep kiss that washed all thoughts about death and pain and loss from her mind. He was determined to replace them with hunger and desire and a need so deep that she would think her world would go up in smoke if she didn't get more of his touch.

The kiss went on for minutes. Long, drugging glimpses of time that had him slanting his mouth to take more of hers in his devouring. It was only when her fingers gripped his shoulders in frenzy that he let her up for air. Her eyes no longer reflected uncertainty and fear. Rather they blazed with passion and demand.

Rolling quickly, he brought her with him so that her breasts rested on his chest. He felt the heat of her cushiony naked body rubbing against his aroused flesh and sparks went off in his brain. He needed to taste her, feel her, glory in her heat.

Grasping her around her waist, he raised her torso so that her breasts swung temptingly above his mouth. Lifting his head, he let his lips rub over her swollen nipples. Knowing it would drive her to want more than just his touch. 

It took less time than he expected for her to try and move closer to his mouth. Smiling against her left nipple he flicked out his tongue and took quick stabs at her aroused flesh. It didn't satisfy her need for the heat of the inside of his mouth. All it made her do was groan in frustration.

"Damn you! Take it!"

His low laugh slithered along her hot, sweaty skin with the intensity of a thousand bee stings. 

"Take what?"

"You know what!"

"Ummm...you mean this very rude part of your body that is pointing at me?"

"Yes! And let's not get started on things pointing at bodies shall we." While speaking she had reached between their bodies to grasp him. Paying him back for the torture that his teasing mouth had inflicted on her, she ran her hand slowly up and down it's hot length.

Suddenly playing the torture game didn't seem quite so much fun. He was in much more sympathy with her need. Latching on to her nipple he sucked deeply. Taking as much of her breast as possible in his mouth. Her cry of joy rang out throughout the room. Proclaiming her relief and yet it, to his ears, it sounded like a demand for more.

Releasing her nipple, he let his head fall back against the pillow to revel in her response.

His eyes focused on her rapturous face in the dark. She never held back from him. Gifting him with all her reactions, both facially and verbally. With her he discovered how good sex was when both partners gave their all. When both truly wanted to please and take from the other. When no games were being played.

Reaching for her shoulders, her brought her neck to his mouth. Licking and nipping at the sensitive skin. 

Her soft inner legs clenching around his thighs in reaction. 

Her mound rubbing against his hair covered thigh, leaving a light trail of moisture in it's wake.

Breaking off his feast of her neck, he gently pushed at her shoulders till she was sitting up straight. Running his hands down her voluptuous body until they rested on her hips, he raised them up.

"Take me in."

She was panting so hard he wasn't sure she heard him. But soon enough, she had grasped him, placing him at her soaked opening.

Past the point of being able to be gentle, he rammed himself deep. Her loud gasp made the red haze clear slightly from his mind. 

"Sorry! I'll go slower."

"NO! It's fine. It just felt...so..._good!"_

That was all he needed to hear. Threading her fingers through his, he held up body straight by the strength of his arms set at his sides. His forearms stiff with effort.

Then proceeded to love the ugliness out of her life. 

Starting slowly, he undulated his hips to thrust into her receptive body.

Her eyes heavy lidded with desire she watched the his face go tight lipped in the dim light. He was holding back, making it last for as long as he could. For her.

But that wasn't what she wanted this time. This time she wanted the wonder to wash over her quickly and devastatingly.

"Don't hold back! Take me there, with you."

Grateful to be able to end the torture of holding back, he disengaged one hand from hers, placing her now free hand on top of her other. Enfolding them both with his huge palm. Keeping her upright with the amazing strength of one arm.

Reaching down between her legs, he slipped two fingers through her the hair covering her mound. Finding the nub of her desire. Rubbing lightly, but constantly.

Within seconds she rewarded him with a cry of release. Her body jerking on his fingers, her head thrown back in pleasure. Tears of joy and sadness leaking from her eyes. The ancient woman in her recognizing that such love and such pleasure could only be transitory in the harsh realm that was life.

In the end she brought her chin to rest on her chest. Too drained to do more than stop her body from crumpling on top of his.

Suddenly she felt the world tumbling. She was now on her back, with Richard looming above her. Trapping her startled face between his large, gentle hands.

"Watch what you do to me."

And she did. As he began to move between her legs with a powerful, thrusting rhythm, she saw the tightness grow across his face. His eyes never blinking, holding hers likewise captive. Letting her see all the love and all the desire and the pleasure. And all the sadness, that the abandoned little boy in him knew was never far away. Always ready to reclaim his soul after the joy of loving her.

He let her see the vulnerability that was brought to the forefront as his release came nearer. Gifting her with his weakness and his need for her. For her love, acceptance and never ending second chances. For his redemption.

Then it washed over him. The pounding waves of relief and pleasure that ripped through his body and his soul. Never closing his eyes, never releasing hers from his intense gaze. Branding his moments of joy and love and sadness and need on her brain forever.

His hips slowed, then stopped. He felt the heat of her encompass him, shelter him. Lowering his mouth, he touched his lips to hers to cherish her. Thank her with his lips since there seemed no words to express what he felt for her.

"Do you see why I hate this situation with Toni and Hill? If anything happens to you, they might as well as put me alive in the same coffin as you. I'd be a walking dead man anyhow. I've been there before. You brought me out of that hell. I'm not going back. I'd rather be with you in death.

And I'll follow you there. No matter where death takes you, I'll be right there at your side. Nothing, no one, no how will ever keep me from you. If I have to fight God himself, I'll do it. You're mine, forever. In life, in death. _Mine_."

__


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 4

He hadn't started out his little expedition with the intention to kill Leffner.

But it seemed the ex-con had a death wish. 

Toni and Hill had been staying with them for over a week now and Burt Leffner had yet to make an appearance or a threat. 

It had made Richard edgy with waiting, until word got back to him that someone was asking around about his kid...Audrey. A man fitting Leffner's description was putting the word out that he was willing to pay good credits for her address. It seemed she had something he wanted.

It hit him then that the only reason there hadn't been a confrontation yet was that though Leffner knew _who_ Toni had fled to, he didn't know _where _that person lived. But Audrey McAllister was pretty distinctive looking with her shaved head and boys clothes. With the right amount of monetary incentive, Leffner would have the apartments address within no time.

Trying to buy as much time as possible, Richard had put out the word that anyone giving up his address, and therefore _his_ kid, would have to answer to him. That would stop the _not_ terminally stupid. But not the terminally greedy.

He knew it was going to get ugly soon if something wasn't done to head it off.

That's when he decided it was time to pay Leffner a little visit.

He'd left work early. The same time as Leffner's shift ended.

Following him. Stalking him with his night vision eyes. Watching his body glow white and cream and gray in the darkness of the tunnel.

A part of him felt shame at the rush the hunt was giving him. It brought back nerve endings he had thought long dead. Killed by the horrible consequences of the Brenner fiasco.

The other part of him just shrugged it's shoulders. Figuring it was true. You could take the killer out of the jungle, but not the jungle out of the killer.

He knew Leffner would have to go through a small alley-like corridor to get to the run down dive he and Toni had occupied. When Richard had first seen it, he had just shaken his head in amazement. How people could live like that, of their own free will, was beyond him. All he knew is that he would have begged, borrowed or stolen to make sure his family was taken care of. Leffner obviously didn't have the same sentiments. 

The dim corridor would be the perfect spot to sneak a little talk with Leffner. The lack of lighting would give Richard the advantage, keep Leffner from getting a bearing. He watched as Leffner's hulking form made it's way down the corridor. He was a short but wide man. Once large with muscles, he had let himself go. Now he tended more towards bulkiness and fat. Curly brown hair, hazel eyes, bad teeth and pitted olive skin completed the package. 

Riddick felt a moment of nausea when he pictured Toni being forced to have sex with _that._ Grinding and slobbering over and in her young, innocent body. Raping her with brutality and terror. Putting the fear of Riddick in this puss bucket would feel real fine!

The corridor had been totally empty when he had grabbed Leffner roughly. The punch Leffner had thrown at him had been expected. Richard knew that he'd been in prison. Just the simple fact that he had survived showed that he good self-survival instincts. 

What was totally unexpected was the ferocity and skill Leffner reacted with. The punch didn't connect. It wasn't supposed to. It was supposed to distract Richard from the shiv coming towards his face. It worked. 

Caught off guard at the skill of his "victim", Richard felt the blade cut deep into his cheek. His quick reflexes kicked in a second later. 

Even before it had finished it's downward arc, he had grabbed and twisted Leffner's wrist, along with the rest of his body. Leffner was brought to his knees with a scream of agony, as Richard increased the painful pressure to the point he heard the bones snap. The shiv falling to the floor with a clatter. Feeling the hot blood run down his face and neck, he didn't know whether to be enraged more at himself, for underestimating his mark, or at Leffner for inflicting the damage. 

He settled on Leffner. Figuring the rage would help emphasize the menace in his voice.

"You shouldn't have done that Mr. Leffner."

"Fuck you!!!"

A chuckle of pure evil brushed over Leffner's skin as Riddick squatted down to face level.

"If anyone's going to be doing the fucking it's going to be me. But don't worry, I find that little girls like you usually have all the tightness gone from their assholes by now. Been used too much."

Leffner's arm had gone numb from the brutal pressure on his broken wrist. The slight relief of pain let him get his first good look at the piece of shit that had ambushed him. He recognized him, even though he was wearing goggles and it was dimly lit in the corridor. It was a guy named Richard Carolyn. He worked on the loading dock over from Leffner's. 

Calling him big and mean would've been an understatement. Leffner had seen plenty of those kind of men in his time in prison. They were usually the ones that had been unimpressed with Leffner's own bulging physique. They had raped and beat him. He in turn had raped and beaten the even weaker ones.

Something clicked in his head as he thought of his own humiliating time in a slam. The asshole knew that he'd been butt monkey fodder! He knew Leffner had been in prison. Someone had been doing some checking on him! Why?!

"What the fuck do you want?!"

The gleam of white teeth shown brightly in the corridor. Technically it was a smile, but there was no good will behind it.

"Let's just say I wanted to catch up with you alone. Have a little chat. Just you and I."

"I ain't telling you shit! _OWWWW!"_

Leffner's head throbbed and his ears rang as his senses tried to recover from Richard's blow to the side of his head.

"Did I say I wanted any information from you, Mr. Leffner?"

"What the hell is this all about then?!"

"'This' is about giving you information. Not taking it from you."

Leffner's face fell forward to hide his expression. He knew he had a tendency to telegraph his actions. He didn't want Carolyn to know that he was just about to rush him. 

Richard knew that Leffner was about to rush him. He could feel the energy coming off the man in waves. Leffner obviously didn't know how to take his medicine. He thought he was the top bad ass of all bad asses. 

He didn't know he was staring the meaning of the phrase in the face. 

He was about to learn the hard way.

Before he could launch himself, Leffner saw a flash of a hand reach for his throat. Quick as that, his throat was in a vise-like clamp. His head slammed against the wall and his air cut off.

Panicking, he clawed at the wrist that was constricting his breathing. Digging in his nails, he just wanted to get the hand off his body! But the son of a bitch must be on something! He was only using one hand to hold Leffner immobile and he didn't so much as flinch when Leffner drew blood. Feeling the world start to go black, Leffner searched for something to stop the death looking in his face. 

The goggles! Taking one hand from his attacker's wrist he ripped off the rubberized protection from Riddick's eyes. Scratching the skin in his desperation to get the maniac off him.

The hand crushing his throat eased just slightly.

But that seemed irrelevant as Leffner froze at the sight of those silvery orbs staring back at him. Emotionless and cold.

The psycho eye's had been shined! Which meant one of two things. He'd either been a Sargimite miner or a con from Slam City. Both were known for their cold blooded brutality.

Riddick knew he was going to have kill Leffner at that point. From the quick gleam of recognition in the ex-con's eyes, he knew Leffner had suspicions about his origins. Riddick had made sure that few saw him without his goggles. The few that did, the ones who were outside the circle he trusted, were told that he'd been a Sargimite miner. They always bought it. But they weren't ex-cons like Leffner.

Leffner would more likely think he was a con from Slam City, where the procedure originated, rather than a miner. Riddick couldn't take the chance. If it had just been him, he would've just taken the next transport off of Polaris Station. But he had Zar and Jack to think of now. They'd probably get caught in any trap or crossfire when the authorities tried to capture him.

Leffner saw the death glimmer flash through Carolyn's eyes. _His_ death glimmer. Struggling against the hand that still held his throat, he felt his bowels loosen.

"NO!!! Don't.....! What did I do to you?!"

"You made the mistake of trying to fuck with something that is MINE! I give you credit for figuring out where Toni and Hill ran too. But your fatal mistake was threatening my kid. I never understood why men like you fucked with the young ones. But I would've left well enough alone. Until you got my family involved with your sick little world. And that's exactly what you did when you started asking where Audrey lived.

I was just going to warn you away. Give you a little something to think about while you recovered in your med-lab bed. But I think you're too stupid to get the message. You _do not _know who you are fucking with!!!"

__

The psychotic piece of shit was going to ghost him!!!

Leffner redoubled his efforts to escape. But it was useless. Carolyn was just too strong for him to break his hold. Like an animal caught in the sights of a big gauge, he could only stare in terror at the shiv that moved closer to his throat. He couldn't even take comfort in thinking that the authorities would hunt his murderer down. 

He was a piece of scum to them. They'd probably be relieved. 

The little bitch Toni would be free of him. Her kid, (he refused to acknowledge Hill as being his) would be safe. No one would grieve for him. 

He'd be going to Hell unmourned.

Riddick smiled in the terrified man's face. Enjoying the fear the sick fuck was swimming in. 

__

Let him know what his victims felt.

There'd be much enjoyment in killing this one. More so than most of his victim's. Well, with the exception of Johns, the mercenary that had tried to kill Audrey on Taurus 2. 

Slowly he pressed the shiv against Leffner's throat. Under the ear. Telling him, with the slow and steady pressure he applied, that his death would be a long and painful one.

The first drops of blood beaded on Leffner's throat. Trying to struggle, he was held immobile by Riddick's forearm against his upper chest. His left hand broken and useless, he tried to punch his right into the face of his executioner. Failing in that, he beat at his arm and body. Trying to kick and dislodge the knees grinding into his thighs to hold him down.

For long seconds, Riddick drew the blade shallowly along Leffner's skin. Part of him reveled in the blood that dripped over his arm and the smell of the man's bowels that had released in terror. The other part was yelling at him to stop. That he was dangerously close slipping into the Riddick of old. The two sides battled against the other for control of his soul. 

He wasn't sure which side had won, but all of a sudden he was tired of playing the game. It was time to end it.

Moving the arm that held Leffner pinned against the wall, he grabbed him by the hair at the top of his head, spinning him so that his head was in between Riddick's bent legs. Jammed up against the inside of his left knee.

With a blurring movement he brought the shiv up to Leffner's exposed neck. Leffner was beyond screaming or begging at this point. The only sound he could manage was the heavy panting of a terrified animal.

Laughter erupted down the corridor.

Innocent laughter. The laughter of children. 

Riddick could see their shadows fast approaching. They were running and shouting. Kicking a ball back forth between them.

He knew he could kill Leffner and be gone in less than the thirty seconds it would take for them to see the two men. But it would mean leaving the kids to find the body. The very bloody, brutally mutilated body.

The part of him that had fought for redemption screamed at him to not do it. The other part whispered that the kids would have to know the ugly truth that was life and death sooner or later. Might as well be now.

A series of people burst across his minds eye. Zar's with her smiling, tender face as she made love to him. Then the memory of Jack as she lay dying in her hospital bed. Finally Carolyn Fry's as a creature of Taurus 2 tore her from his arms.

He got the message. He'd be throwing away his redemption, that all those women had worked for, if he subjected those kids to his handy work. He couldn't do that. Even it meant putting himself in danger of being found out. Even if it meant endangering Zar and Jack.

"You got lucky Leffner. Next time you won't. Stay away from Toni and Hill. _Don't_ even think about coming near Audrey! Or I will make you wish I finished the job today. Understand?!"

The hand gripping his hair tightened painfully. A response was required.

__

"Yes!!! I'll never come near any of them. I swear!!!"

Leffner watched as his own personal Angel of Death slowly withdrew the shiv from his throat. Not quite believing he was being spared, he lay quiet in his own blood. Watching Carolyn pick up the goggles and then fade into the shadows of the corridor. 

Disappearing like he was a ghost.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5

Leaning against the door jam, she watched as the baby slept contentedly upon his perch. Totally oblivious to the fact that his bed was the chest of a psychopathic killer. Sleeping on his back Richard Riddick kept the baby secured on his chest with one hand placed lightly over his tiny back. Absently she noted that the little over a month old baby was just slightly bigger than Richard's hand. The incongruity of their positions, the feelings of trust and peace that flowed between man and child, made tears come to her eyes.

Lying on his stomach while sucking on a fist, Hill Platz was blissfully unaware of the undulations caused by Richard's breathing. Zar was sure the warmth and security radiating off of the big man were the only things Hill was cognizant of feeling.

She had brought Hill into their bed in the early hours of the morning. He'd been crying when she had risen to use the bathroom. After she was done she noticed that he was still crying. And that it was intensifying.

Worried, she'd checked on him.

He was in his crib, squalling and wet, but otherwise okay. Toni had remained oblivious to Zar entering the room. Sleeping the deep sleep of the emotionally exhausted. At first angered at Toni's neglect of her child, compassion soon overrode it when she noticed how bad the girl looked. Not in the best shape when she had ran to Audrey's family in the first place, she hadn't improved any in the following two weeks.

The circles under her eyes had grown darker and her hair had grown thinner. She barely ate enough to subsist on and for the baby's sake Zar had encouraged her to put Hill on the bottle and off the breast. But even worse than her physical condition was her mental state of being.

Going to school had been out of the question while Burt Leffner was a threat so she stayed in the apartment by herself with only the baby for company. Zar had allowed Audrey to stay with them for the first few days, but Richard had put a stop to that. 

Ostensibly he didn't like Audrey missing so much school. In reality he worried about Leffner showing up and only Audrey being there between him and the Platz'. 

When the rest of the apartments inhabitants were there Toni spent most her time in her room. The girl wasn't rude or standoffish. She'd been heartbreakingly grateful to have been given the shelter and help the family gave her and Hill. Rather Zar felt Toni was mentally pulling away from the evil and pain that rode on her back like a demented gargoyle. The baby had been her only source of happiness. And in the last few days even he hadn't been able to wring a smile or laugh out of her. 

She'd even distanced herself from Audrey. At first the two girls had been inseparable. Audrey knew that Toni had suffered from nightmares and had slept on the floor next to the bed so that she wouldn't feel so alone. But in the last few days Toni had retired way before Audrey, ignoring Audrey's knocks and concerned inquiries. Zar could feel the girl slipping away from the living.

After changing Hill Zar had taken the still upset baby back to her bedroom. Hoping to calm him back to sleep.

Richard had not been thrilled with the idea of her bringing the baby into bed with them. He had grumped something about taking care of what was _not_ theirs. But Zar suspected he was worried that he might roll over in his sleep and crush Hill. Not that he'd ever admit it. 

He had kept a large distance between himself and the refugees. He wasn't cruel to them. He just didn't talk to Toni much or even once acknowledge the baby's presence. Audrey had tried to get him to give Toni the support that he'd given Audrey in her time of need. All it had earned her were hard looks and him leaving the apartment. Soon she gave up. Disappointed, but not really surprised, by his aloofness to those in need. She knew enough about him to realize he wasn't the most trusting or loving man in the world. The exception's being herself and Zar.

Zar knew why he kept himself from getting too involved. He didn't _want_ to care about Toni and Hill. One, he saw them as threats to everyone's safety due to Leffner's sick obsession. Two, he was still getting used to caring about Zar and Audrey. It had taken him a very long time accept the fact that caring meant being vulnerable to hurt. Allowing himself to be that defenseless against the pain fate could inflict. History had taught him a hard lesson. The less you care about, the less you could be hurt or used. 

In his mind, it was bad enough that Audrey and Zar, and the love he felt for them, could be used against him. He wasn't about to let anymore people into his heart. 

So she hadn't become angry when he had turned his back and covered his head with a pillow as she crawled into bed with the baby. She wished she could reassure him. Tell him to let a few more of the human race into his fiercely protective and single mindedly loving embrace. The benefits were well worth the risks. 

But she just didn't have the strength right that moment to try and pound some sense into his hard head. The baby was still whimpering and she was almost in tears herself with fatigue.

So she had just laid on her side, tucking the baby against her. Enjoying, though also grieving over, the memories the tiny body evoked. Memories of her dead daughter Beth. Of holding her. Comforting her. Knowing she would never, ever experience those feelings again with a child of her own. Her ability to conceive permanently damaged by the rape and beating inflicted so many years ago. 

Audrey was a daughter to her also. But it felt so damn good to hold a baby again. Inhale a baby's special smell, the ultra softness of their skin, the complete trust they placed in whoever held them. 

Finally Hill fell asleep and Zar soon followed. Though she didn't allow herself a truly deep sleep. Her mothers instincts and habits awakened to the slightest sound or movement the baby made.

All too soon the alarm went off and the room slightly lightened. She was still dog tired, but she wouldn't have traded the past night of being near Hill for all the sleep in the galaxy.

Rising from the bed, she had placed the baby in between two pillows in her still warm place. Caressing his face softly one last time before left the room to get ready for the day.

She came back less than forty-five minutes later to the scene that greeted her eyes. The baby sleeping contentedly on Richards large chest. It made her think of a Bible phrase she had learned in the orphanage where she had been raised. _"...and the lion shall lie down with the lamb."_

She was always aware of the gentleness that lived down deep in Richard. She was also aware that he purposely kept it deep. Few saw this side of him. Even Audrey caught only rare glimpses of it. Zar on the other hand, saw it every day. It was there in the way he touched her, talked to her, looked at her.

All too soon it was time to for her to leave. She was loathe to disturb the sleeping duo, but it couldn't be helped.

Softly padding over to Richards side, she gently touched his shoulder. Knowing from past experiences that he would awake at the slightest contact.

Smiling down into his instantly alert eyes, she pressed a finger to her lips. Letting him to know to keep his deep voice to a whisper.

"I see you have a buddy."

"Yeah. He started fussing right after you left. Patting him on the back wasn't doing the trick so..." He lightly shrugged his shoulders. Telling her in a gesture that he didn't want a big thing made out of it.

"Want me to take him back to his crib?"

He seemed to be weighing his answer as he looked at the top of the baby's head. His hand still rested on Hill's back and he had started a soothing, if unmindful, rubbing motion. Zar didn't allow herself to imagine what Richard would look like holding a child of their own. There were just some things that couldn't change. Some things you just didn't fight against. Her bareness was one of those things. 

Instead she studied Richards face. It still held the scratch marks and scab-covered brand that Leffner had inflicted. She knew his hand still held the deep gouges also. But the week old wounds would've looked worse on any other man. Because of the Profearaben running through out Richards body he was almost healed.

Zar shuddered as she remembered the day he had come from his confrontation with Leffner. Audrey and Toni were in their respective rooms. So she was the only one to see him enter commons area. She didn't know what was worse. Seeing the blood, some of which he assured her wasn't his. Or the murderous gleam that still reflected out of his eyes. 

She'd been sure Leffner was dead. Part of her had been fiercely glad. Toni and Hills ordeal would finally be over. Audrey would be safe. The other part of her ached for Richard though. Each time he deliberately took a life a chunk of his soul died with it. Bringing him that much closer to the Riddick of old. She didn't know how many others he had killed. She could only hope that this was the first. 

It worried her that it might not be the case when he wouldn't let her clean his wounds. He preferred to do it himself. She figured he either wanted to distance himself from her or he couldn't stand the thought of her "clean" hands touching a victims blood. Zar thought it was the latter. But she couldn't tell for sure. There were still so many unanswered questions about Richard and his psyche. All she could do was trust him.

So she'd been relieved when he told her that Leffner was still alive. Short of some blood, gifted of a few broken bones, hopefully sporting a new attitude, but alive nonetheless. But he wasn't telling her something and she let him know that she knew.

He wouldn't tell her. Giving her either a cold smile and telling her to leave it alone. That he would handle it. She'd been enraged by his cavalier attitude. How dare he leave her in the dark! Hadn't he learned his fucking lesson the other time he tried to do that?! Wasn't almost losing Jack enough of a reminder for him?! She ended her diatribe with the ugliest words she could think of. _"Your Riddick's showing!"_

The second after the words had left her mouth she wished she could snatch them back.

But his face had already gone scarily blank. Staring at her like he didn't know her. No, staring at her like she had no value to him! For the first time ever in her life with him, she felt a small fissure of fear. She wondered if that was the face his victims saw right before he mutilated and killed them.

He took a step towards her and something in her snapped. She turned and ran for the nearest door which happened to be their bedroom. Zar hadn't taken three steps when she felt his hand close around her arm swinging her around to face him.

The scream she had been about to let loose died in her throat when she looked into his bloody face. What she saw there made her feel like a piece of scum on the bottom of a shoe. His eyes shined with more than just their reflective sheen. They welled with unshed tears and were bleak with disappointment. Disappointment in her. 

She knew she had betrayed his faith in her. The faith that he could count on no matter what. That she would always believe in him. Know that no matter what he did to others, she would always be safe with him.

She felt the pain coming off him in waves and she felt shame. 

Richard saw her hang her head and the part of him that was always truthful with himself spoke inside his mind. 

__

Aren't you always telling her what a psychopathic piece of shit you are? Warning her you could turn back into Riddick anytime? Now for one second she actually believes you...and you feel betrayed?!

Cupping her face in his hand he brought her eyes to meet his.

"I'm sorry. That wasn't fair. I keep telling you that I could hurt you or Jack. And when you actually believe me, I get pissed. You had every right to be afraid. I know what I look like when I get like that. I count on it. It puts the fear of God in most people. Gives me an edge. 

I know my word is worth dick at this moment, but I swear I'd rather cut my hand off then hurt you. At least while I'm in my right mind. If I'm not, well then all bets are off. You did the right thing in running Zar. Just picked the wrong time."

Zar had been so relieved to see the pain and insanity leave his eyes that she had hugged him fiercely. Happy to have "her" Richard back in her arms. Grateful for the draining away of the fear. She believed and trusted in his word. Even the part about not being in his right mind. And so she didn't try to throw away the memory of being his target. Rather she packed it away in a far corner of her mind. In case she ever needed it again. Knowing that his love for her was so great, that he would want her to use it against him if push came to shove.

The scene had left both of them hesitant around the other for the last few days. She would catch him looking at her with a question in his eyes. What he was questioning she didn't know. He never asked anything.

She had tried to make things right with him by making love. But he had stopped her. Gently taking her hands from his body and placing them on his chest. Enfolding her in his arms and legs. Seemingly content to just hold her. As she had drifted off to sleep she felt he was trying to absorb her in some way.

Now as she watched him gaze at Hill she found herself wondering how she could have ever thought he would harm her. He obviously had bonded with the baby. Though it was probably against his will. It was _always_ against his will. Even the love he felt for Zar and Audrey was against his will. But once someone got through that tough exterior that guarded his heart, they became a part of him forever. 

She wasn't surprised when he told her to go to work. That he would take care of the baby. But she made sure she didn't smile or in any way show that she was both amused and touched. He really wouldn't appreciate that.

"Okay. I'll see you when you get home." Bending down to kiss him she was unprepared for the ferocity of his lips meeting hers. Sealing her mouth to his with his free hand as it clutched the back of her head. His tongue invaded her mouth. Exploring, rubbing and arousing. He hadn't kissed her like that since the episode in the commons a week ago. 

It felt like coming home.

Releasing her mouth slowly he kept a gentle pressure on her head. Rubbing his unshaved cheek softly against her smooth one.

"We some thing's to do tonight. Be ready."

Zar eased her head back just a bit. The better to see his eyes. Filled with joy at the desire and love she saw brimming over in them. Bonding with the baby had allowed him to open himself up to her again.

"Hmmm...tease!"

His low laughter followed her out of the room. 

She met a sleepy eyed Toni in the dining area. 

"Zar. You have Hill don't you?"

"I did. He's sleeping with Richard right now. Poor baby had a rough night."

Zar shared a light laugh with her when she asked "Hill or Mr. Carolyn?"

In that moment Zar saw all the wasted potential that should've been Toni Platz. Amazed at how one person can totally fuck up the life of another.

"I meant Hill. I'm sorry you woke to find him gone. But you were out like a light and he was crying. Thought you could use a little more sleep. You need to take better care of yourself Toni. For Hill's sake."

Toni lowered her eyes. 

"I know. It's just so hard to care. He'd be better off without me anyway."

Zar saw the tears leaking out from underneath Toni's lids. A wave of concern swept through her for the girl. 

Enfolding her in her arms she tried to find the words that would make the girl fight for the life she and her son so deserved.

"You can't think that way honey! Burt wins if you do! Don't let the bastard have the satisfaction."

The sobs were coming hard now. Shaking the underfed body of the girl that had reached her limit.

"I don't care if he wins! I just want the pain to go away!"

"Shhhh...I know! But there's always a reason to go on living. ALWAYS! Come here. Sit down."

Zar had decided to share her history with Toni. Hoping to get her to see that the future was wide open.

But Toni was far beyond any pep talks. She'd seen her step-father murder her mother, threaten her life, rape her, beat her, impregnate her and make her life a general of Hell. 

"No! It's okay! I just wanted to make sure Hill was okay. I'm going back to bed now. Tell Mr. Carolyn to bring him in whenever he's ready."

As she watched Toni flee back to the sanctuary that her room had become Zar was sure something was going to give soon. Toni was already broken. But Zar was afraid that when she did find any courage it would only be to take the final step. She knew the look in the eyes. Audrey had had the same look just days before she had slit her wrists.

Zar had ignored the look in Audrey's case. Refusing to believe that brave, bad ass Jack would ever go that route. Discounting Jacks pain over Richards desertion so that she wouldn't have to face her own.

She wouldn't make the same mistake again.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 6

Miriam Gonzalez sat at the table in a grungy bar on one of the bottom floors of Polaris Station. Halfway listening to Burt Leffner rant and rave. 

He was railing some bullshit about Richard B. Riddick still being alive. Bullshit because Miriam knew that he was dead. Had been for over a year. 

He died when the Hunter-Grantzner crashed on Taurus 2. She knew this because she'd been part of the rescue party the Alliance Security Forces had hurriedly put together to search the planet for survivor's. Within six hours of the Hunter's distress signal being received the New Oslo Shipping Corporation had put out the call for all merc's and anything else close to law enforcement to hightail it to the scene of the crash. Seems there had been some pretty valuable "cargo" on the ship. Salvaging that cargo was of the utmost importance. The reward proved it. 

If you had a pulse pistol or big gauge, they considered you close enough to fit the criteria. With the addition of a contingent of crack insurgency troops it had been a pretty motley crew that had rendezvoused on the deep space star jumper. Each independent "salvager" was intent on being the one to garner the big payday. It had struck her weird that the ASF was involved with a merchant vessel salvage operation. 

But her curiosity was soon answered at the debriefing they held. Not only did the Hunter-Gratzner have a full cargo valued at over three billion credits, but also Richard B. Riddick, the most feared and fucked up escapee in years had been on the ship. Her curiosity turned to concern when she learned that William Johns was the merc escorting Riddick to Slam.

She and Johns had been off and on lovers for the past four years. They met when she had just been starting out, a twenty year old with a stomach full of hate and a rock for a heart. Orphaned at twelve she had survived by becoming a prostitute and petty thief. Beautiful, tall and lithe, her hazel eyes and long straight black hair attracted the scum as is she were a magnet. By the time she was twenty, all the hellish incarcerations, sexual abuse and beatings made her realize that it was better to be the one with the power. As far as she could see, being a merc was the closest thing you got to freedom and power at the same time.

She had been impressed with Johns instincts and skills. He seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to tracking escapees. Maybe because he had many of the same personality traits as they did. And he was an absolute magician when it came to bullshitting people. When he turned on the smooth talking charm he could get rats to eat of his hand. Even rats of the human variety. 

He'd taught her a lot of things about being a gun for hire. The most important lesson being how to stay alive. As their time together had passed, she became aware of him as a man more and more. His intense blue eyes and charm had worked their magic on her. It seemed only natural when they had become physically involved. For awhile there she thought they might make a go of it. But his morphine addiction had changed him. 

Not the most caring man in the galaxy in the first place, he became violent and paranoid under the influence of the drug. He liked to blame Riddick and one of their run-in's for the morphine habit that ruled his life. But truth be told Miriam knew that Johns had been experimenting with drugs long before Riddick. He just used the shiv point imbedded close to his spine as a convenient excuse to up his intake. There had been one too many close calls involving him, her and his baton. It had become apparent that the only way he could get his jollies was if the situation involved pain and rough handling. More and more she disliked the wild look in his eyes. She could take care of herself around any man. But damned if she let herself be used as some dope fiends' punching bag. 

She eased back on the relationship. Not that Johns had noticed a whole hell of a lot. It was right around that point that he'd got a hot lead on Riddick being on some two-bit mining asteroid. The man that had become William Johns deathly obsession had burned Miriam and their relationship right from his mind. He'd left with nary a glance back. She'd been relieved and yet disappointed. But through it all, she still considered Johns her only true friend. Something special considering the cut throat business they both worked.

The ship might've run through a rogue comet tail or some other space hazard. But then again, Riddick was known for his ingenious and deadly escapes. It was totally within belief that he had escaped his lockout pod and ran amok among the crew and passengers. Either inadvertently or purposefully crashing the ship. The reward for his return had doubled. But only if brought back alive. It was the same if his body only was presented to the authorities.

There'd no further communications from the ship after the initial mayday. To make matters worse, the planet had been plunged into a two week long eclipse. By the time the ASF had got there, it had been going on for twelve days. It was decided, in the interest of any survivor's, to go down before the eclipse was through.

A quick scan of where the ship was suspected to have gone down revealed the crash site. The ASF troops had reconnoitered first. 

Within minutes they had been wiped out by the indigenous creatures of the planet. Ripped to shreds, their screams echoed through out the stunned command center. The vid screen showing blurry gray images mixed with flying body parts and blood spurting. Not a soul made it back to the ASF ship.

It was then decided to wait the two days till the end of the eclipse. The better to see what they were dealing with.

By the time the merc's, armed to the teeth, had been allowed down to the ten mile long crash site, there had only been bones and the mostly damaged cargo left. A shit load of bones. No sign of what ever got the ASF troops, no sign of Hunter-Gratzner crew or passengers, and no sign of Riddick.

There'd been a spark of hope when the abandoned settlement had been found. It hadn't shown up on their earlier scan of the planet due to the old style materials that it had been built with. It didn't give off the same kind of resonance as the current alloys.

But there again disappointment reigned. Only thing they found were the bodies of hundreds of huge winged creatures with nasty teeth. Barbecued beyond belief. These must have been the creatures that got the ASF troops. And probably the passengers of the ship. A quick bio-scan discovered the primitive animals were light sensitive. In fact it was lethal to them. The ones littering the settlement were probably too stupid to get out of the emerging sun after the eclipse.

A few fresh graves, disturbed and ripped open, had been found. So evidently at least a small number of people had survived long enough to make it to the settlement, die and be buried. But a thorough scan of the whole sector showed nothing living. At least not above ground. And when they found the Coring Room, with its well of death, they were pretty certain that no one had survived.

As precaution a DNA scanner was brought down to confirm the identities of the dead. The scanner could identify a registered human (it was compulsory throughout the ASF's territory that everyone be registered) with just the faintest speck of blood. They did a sweep of every square inch of the crash site and settlement. It was taken for granted that if blood was found, then the passenger was dead. 

All but one of the names on the ships manifest, a Muslim holy man or Imam, was found to have shed blood on the planets surface. But they figured Abu al-Walid had been taken then killed subterranean. One other sample was for an Audrey McAllister. She hadn't been on the manifest. Probably a stowaway. 

Miriam remembered the silent grief she had felt when they confirmed the DNA of Johns. The one being in the whole known galaxy that understood her was dead. The memories of their time together, both good and bad, played themselves out against her minds eye. She wondered how he had bought it. Had Riddick murdered him? Or had the creatures done it for him? She hoped it had been a quick death. That's all any merc could ask for. 

She hadn't let the grief grab hold too deeply. When you were as good a merc as she was, you learned not to let your emotions get a foot hold. Not only was it detrimental to your emotional well being, it could also get a person killed. Besides the pragmatist in her realized that there was nothing she could do for Johns now. If Riddick had survived she could have taken revenge in his memory. It was a moot point though.

Now this sorry piece of humanity was telling her that Riddick may still be alive. Demanding money for information she knew was bogus. If she hadn't been on Taurus 2 and had first hand confirmation of the Riddick's blood she may have bitten. As it was, Leffner was just wasting her time and pissing her off big time.

"Leffner, please spare me your little nightmares! I KNOW Riddick is dead. I was part of the salvage team on Taurus 2. His blood was confirmed by the DNA scanner. It was in the same vicinity as a large concentration of blood of a creature inhabiting the planet. A very deadly, very hungry bastard of a life form."

Leffner knew he was losing the bitch. 

He'd been in piss poor shape by the time Carolyn had got through with him in the corridor. Bleeding, reeking of his own excrement, more terrified than he'd ever been, he had barely made it to his bed before passing out.

Even then the brutal fuck had haunted his dreams. All he kept seeing were dead silvery eyes as they watched the blood seep out of his body. The cruel smile as he panted in terror.

When he finally awoke, something about the eyes kept revolving around in his mind. He knew there was something noteworthy about them. Something he should be remembering. Three days later it had finally come to him.

He'd been in Ursa Luna – Slam City – the same time as one the nastiest criminals he'd ever heard of. Richard Riddick was supposed to have wiped out his whole crew of men. Close to five hundred of them. Having escaped a number of times from other penal facilities, the dark pits of Slam were the only things that had managed to hold him. He was also known for the particularly ugly way he had of killing. A champion shiv and bare hands fighter within the prison circuit, many men died at his hands. In very slow and painful ways for most of them. He seemed unstoppable. Cut him deep and it didn't even break his stride. All it did was piss him off. He sometimes even took on two or three at a time. Almost always with the same results. 

With his bulk and own dirty way of fighting Leffner had in his early days at Slam entertained the idea of going one on one with him. Until he watched what he did to one sorry s.o.b. Leffner had been in a far back row, but even there he could see the carnage that Riddick created. The challengers head was practically torn from his neck. And his guts had spilled from its body cavity. A Riddick specialty.

Leffner had never forgotten the look on Riddick's face as he was announced the winner of the round. Cold. Empty. Totally devoid of any emotion. Not even triumph or relief or anger. He was a killing machine. A large, skilled, smart, evil killing machine with freaky marbled eyes. Any thoughts of taking on Riddick had quickly been squelched.

The man made him outright nervous. So he had avoided him at all costs. He was almost relieved when Riddick had escaped. Totally amazed at how much the ASF was offering for his return. Preferably alive. Four million credits could buy a man a lot of pleasures.

And now there was the excellent chance that Richard Carolyn was really Richard Riddick. Richard Carolyn had the same kind of eyes, that same kind of look. He liked to skull-fuck his victims just like Riddick. Even better, the information was his alone. He would have never had the balls to go after Riddick himself. But he figured he could get a finders fee from some gun crazy merc who wanted to prove themselves by being the one to bring in the Scourge of the Galaxy.

He had checked around the known merc hangouts on the lower decks. Finding Miriam Gonzalez had been the answer to his prayers. All women were dumb bitches to him. Look what his wife and step-daughter had let him get away with! He figured the Gonzalez woman would be easy to reel in for a finders fee. Give her the information concerning Carolyn, get the money from her, then set her on her way. Most probably to her own death. No skin off his nose.

But she was proving to be a harder sell than he anticipated. It was pissing him off. If she hadn't been armed to the teeth he would've taught her a few things about not respecting Burt Leffner. Instead he found himself having to do something he rarely did. Convince with his mouth rather than his fists. 

"Look! Being hurt means nothing to Riddick. He don't feel nothin'. Just check this guy out! I'm telling you it's Riddick! Someway, somehow he survived the crash. I'm not surprised. I' seen the man fight. The fucker has the survival instinct beyond anything I' seen before. Hell, he probably ate one of those creatures! Sucked the blood right outta them! After he got done raping and killing and hell knows what else to the passengers and crew! What..."

Leffner stopped abruptly. Something ugly had flashed in the woman's eyes that made him take notice. He had hit a nerve. The opportunist in him smelled it. She wasn't looking at him like he was a walking piece shit anymore. She looked pissed. And deadly. But he knew it wasn't directed toward him. Talking about what he thought Riddick had done to the crash survivor's had caught her attention finally. She didn't like something about it. This was his chance to reel her in.

"Listen. He works on the dock right over from me. I can get you in to take a look and see what you think. If you think I'm right, I get twenty thousand credits. A finders fee, ya know!"

"Five."

"I ain't bargaining with you lady! You get Riddick you get four mil! It's only fair I get a fair share too! You don't like it and I take my information elsewhere."

Miriam sat back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. 

__

The little cretin was trying to fuck her over. She had inadvertently let her game face slip. Leffner had seen her rage over the thought of Riddick doing Johns. If there was even the slightest chance that he was alive, she wanted to be the one to make him pay. It wouldn't be too bad of a payday at that either. Leffner obviously thought he was leading a lamb to slaughter. Get her to pay him a finders fee then let her get killed by Riddick. Then sell the information all over again. His opinion of her abilities as a merc not up there with his opinion of himself evidently.

That underestimation was fine with her. It would make killing him, after he gave her Riddick's whereabouts, all the more easier. Let him think he was smarter than her. He would never live to enjoy the twenty thou anyway.

"Fine. Whatever. It had better be worth it though!"  
"Now you're talking sweetie! Maybe you and I can do other business while were at it. Ya know? Hey I figure I'm giving you a big enough payday you can give me a little pussy."

Miriam gave Leffner a quick glance of disgusted amazement. _As if! _ She would rather give a piece to a dead man that let him touch her.  
"Don't think so Leffner. I only do my own species. You don't qualify."  
"Listen bitch..."

"NO! You listen. If this Carolyn guy pans out you get your money and we part ways. End of story. Period. Now let's go see where he works. That is if you still want your money?"

Not waiting to see if he followed, she rose from the table and headed for the doorway. _Your time is coming Leffner._

Leffner scowled at her retreating back. Left little choice in following her, he rose and huffily tried to catch up. All the things he pictured Riddick doing to her body flashed through his mind. Made him smile in relish. Gave him a hard on actually.

__

Your time is coming bitch! 


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 7

Riddick felt the woman watching him.

She'd been doing it for the last three days. 

And she wasn't exactly being subtle about it. 

He noticed her right away when she'd signed on to be a "loadie." Tall, lean, exotic and sexy as hell with her dark hair and hazel eyes, she wasn't the usual kind of woman who signed on to the rough, dirty, dangerous work of cargo loader. But he gave her credit. Miri Lopresso had the guts and the strength to do the job well. Something most men on the crew managed not to accomplish.

She was definitely a lady who could take care of herself. A few of the tough guys on the dock found that out the hard way. Six hours into her first day, they had trapped her behind a massive container with the intent of having a little "fun." Riddick hadn't seen them go behind the container, but he sure as shit saw them come out. And what a mess she had made of them! Bruised and bloody, still staggering from getting their clocks cleaned. She had emerged cool and collected. Nary a hair out of place. 

Maybe that's why he'd noticed her. She was exactly the kind of woman he'd always been attracted to. The kind that could kick a man's ass both in bed and out of it. The kind that brought out the animal in their lovers. The kind that could hold their own with him. Why he had fallen for Zar, a thoroughly strong but definitely in need of protection kind of woman, he was never sure. She was the extreme exception to the rule.

Lopresso being the kind of woman she was must be the reason why he couldn't get her scent out of his mind. It always seemed to be hovering right at the edges of his mind. It made him jumpy. His senses on perception overload. 

If he was brutally honest with himself, she made him horny as hell. Even worse, he couldn't seem to control the images of them together in bed that kept running through his mind. Something about her brought out the animal in him.

But something wasn't quite right about the way she kept giving him looks. They weren't quite the "come fuck me you big bad man" stares he was used to getting. There was another element involved that he couldn't quite put a name too. She wanted something from him more than a fuck. 

If it weren't for Zar he might've went for it. Given her a good swiv then seen where it led. But he figured if he was going to screw over Zar, it would only be for something a hell of lot better than he had now. That possibility was slim to none. He had it good. Hell, he had it perfect. No use shitting it up just because some skirt made his balls tight.

So he had kept his distance even as his senses became more and more attuned to her. Avoiding eye contact even when every bone in his body wanted to stare her down. But his intuition told him that a staring contest would just make her more determined. It would be like issuing her a challenge and an invitation at the same time. An invitation he instinctively wanted to issue and a challenge he wasn't so sure he'd win. His control was slipping the more he was around her. A man who prided himself on his self-control, he didn't like it one bit. Hell, maybe it was the Profearaben coming out in him. Whatever the cause, it made him want to prove to himself and her that she meant squat next to Zar. When she had somehow got herself assigned to his crew today he had studiously ignored her.

But it wasn't working. He could feel her eyes burning into his back. Running over his body like hot licks of flame. Something was different about her at that moment. Turning towards her he saw she was standing completely still, just staring at him with a little smile. 

Then she ran her tongue over her lips.

It bothered him how much his body reacted to the gesture. It bothered him even more when he realized she knew he wasn't unaffected. Her hooded eyes drifting lazily down to his crotch. The smile went from small to wide as she saw his erection through his pants.

Looking around, he realized they were all alone. Caught in a square made by four containers. Men getting stuck in a "box" was common. There was so much moving around of cargo that it was inevitable that there would be some trapped. It would only last a few minutes until one of the containers got moved. He would've normally just sat on the ground and taken a break.

With Miri in there with him, and obviously on the prowl, that wasn't an option. The only thing left was to try and ignore her. He didn't hold out a lot of hope of the that succeeding. She wasn't the type of woman who let the man she wanted ignore her. 

When she moved slowly towards him his first inclination was to back up to try and put a little more room between him and temptation. But damned if he'd let her know that she had him fighting his own common sense! So he held his ground. Not moving a muscle. Knowing that to show any sign of tension would give her encouragement. 

When she stopped in front of him only an inch separated their bodies. His breathing sped up as he unwillingly inhaled her spicy female scent. Sensing the arousal, along with the intent to seduce, pulsing off her. The impulse to tighten his fists in frustration almost overpowering his determination not to let her know the extent of his excitement.

But all his exertions seemed to blow over her. She was looking into his face with sultry smile. Showing that she knew exactly how she affected him. 

He sensed rather than saw her hand move from her side. He knew exactly where she would touch him, but he couldn't seem to bring himself to stop her. Her fingers danced lightly over his cloth covered erection. Sending lightening along his nerve endings and making his muscle's jump against his will.

Every cell in his head was screaming at him to grab her hand and push it away. Unfortunately his body was not under his brains' control at the moment. It was under her control. And she was making it dance like a puppeteer. 

"Kiss me!" It came out as a whisper, but it was a command accompanied by her parted lips and bedroom eyes.

He tried to picture Zar's face if she ever found out. It wouldn't cooperate. Nothing flashed across his mind except the white-hot need to taste the woman caressing him. She had tapped into his animal side with a vengeance. The part he had worked so hard to lock away in its cell in order to be the kind of man Zar deserved. He had been given a chance at redemption because he had managed to overcome his animal side on Taurus 2. 

Now it wanted out ferociously. 

Her free hand closed around his hip, then slowly traveled up his shirt covered stomach and chest. Feathering the skin of his neck as it continued rising until it finally came to rest on the back of his head. 

Plucking the goggles from his eyes, she ran her thumb over his bottom lip. The contact sent him over the edge. She laughed into his burning, shining eyes softly in triumph. 

Grabbing her shoulders he ground his lips into hers in a paroxysm of need. His tongue jabbing and rubbing against her equally aggressive one. 

He wanted to take her right there and then. Damn Zar, damn where they were! Nothing else mattered but the taste and feel of Miri. His body's demand to join with hers overriding every ounce of control, common sense and character.

She was pulling him down to the ground when the sound of one of the containers being lifted brought him back to reality.

Breaking the kiss he stood straight as if shocked with electricity. 

__

What the hell was he doing?!

The animal in him slowly retreated. But he knew it had been awakened and wouldn't go back to sleep willingly. It would wait for another opportunity. One it was sure that would be presented as long as Miri Lopresso was around. The woman touched a nerve deep within him. Not as deep as the one Zar touched, but definitely a nerve more susceptible to manipulation. And Miri knew just which buttons to press to make it jump. Unlike most nerves it liked to be touched and was urging him to make her touch it more.

"That's okay Carolyn. My time is coming. You can count on it." Her face radiated her mastery of his body as she calmly walked away through the now open space.

Miriam Gonzalez felt Richard Riddick's eyes on her as she walked away. She resisted the urge to wipe her mouth with her hand. Not willing to take the chance that he would see the betraying gesture. It would ruin her well laid plans if he suspected her desire wasn't real.

Leffner's tip had been dead on the money. Richard Riddick was alive and well. The fury of first seeing him still burned behind her eyes. The biggest piece of murdering scum to walk the galaxy was living life like a normal man while Johns was just a set of bones in some God-forsaken cavern on a shit hole of a planet.

The gall of it had almost made her puke.

It had definitely made her enraged. And determined to bring Riddick to his knees. By the time she got done with him he'd be begging for mercy! She would make his life such a steaming pile of shit that he would beg for her to kill him. If he held anything dear in his life, she would find out what it was and destroy it in front of him. Let _him_ feel the burn of loss. If he didn't care about anything, then she would take away all means of support and escape. He would know the frustration of inevitable death or capture.

She had paid Leffner off quickly with the warning not to try any back stabbing crap. Then she had formulated a plan to get close to Riddick.

For two weeks she had shadowed his every move. Using all her skill Miriam made sure he wouldn't detect her. She knew about his ability to smell trouble from miles away.

Soon she knew where he lived, and with whom, where he went to buy food and drink, who made him smile and who made him angry. What sports he liked to watch, what foods he favored, how hard he worked and what he thought of the people he worked with. Without a single suspicion he gave up every aspect of his daily life. 

She had gone through his old records, trying to come up with some better insights into his habits and character. Soon a picture of a psychotic killer with a brilliant mind and almost superhuman survival instincts formed in her mind. A man very in touch with the primitive, and therefore sexual, part of his brain. The only problem was that it didn't gel with what she observed and heard about him now.

For all intents and purposes, Richard Carolyn, the name he used now, was a hard working family man raising an adopted daughter and involved in a permanent relationship with a respectable woman. Other than his unmistakable physical characteristics, it would almost be laughable at how little he resembled Richard Riddick. He didn't get into fights, he didn't whore or carouse around. He rarely left the apartment after he got home from work. The exception being his thrice weekly workouts in a gym. When he left otherwise it was almost always in the company of his woman, Zarifa Cholena or his kid, Audrey McAllister. Once or twice they were accompanied by a friend of the kids and the friends baby. 

Miriam found out the friend was Burt Leffner's step-daughter Toni Platz and the baby was Toni's son Hill. A little more checking revealed that Leffner had been using Toni Platz as a sex and work slave after his wife's death (murder?). It was also probable that the baby was his. A result of one his frequent rapes of the girl. She evidently had run to Audrey for protection when things got too bad. Riddick had obviously put the girl and the baby under his protection.

The thought of it had made Miriam laugh in amazement. Richard Riddick playing knight in shining armor for a kid and a baby!

She just couldn't figure out what his game was. It _couldn't_ have been a genuine change. A person didn't go from brutal, cold-hearted, evil killer to loving and protective family man. Even if they had gone through hell and came out changed. There wasn't that much redemption in the world to make a man like Riddick rejoin the human race. No, he was playing some game. There was some self-serving motive behind his charade. Even with the remote possibility that he wasn't playing some game, it didn't change the fact that he needed to pay for what Johns had gone through.

The Cholena woman and he seemed to truly care for each other. She noticed a softness about him whenever they were together. Even caught them holding hands once. An act that brought back memories of her time with Johns. Made her burn for vengeance. Miriam knew she could use her against Riddick as leverage.

Zarifa Cholena would be a pawn to moved in Miriam's obsessive quest to bring in Richard B. Riddick. Dead or alive. He would probably leave the woman to the wolves once she became a liability, but Miriam might get him to hesitate a very important fraction of a second by using her. She knew that if came down between saving the woman and saving his own life he would always chose his own. Maybe she could use that to create a wedge between the woman and Riddick.

After getting a pretty good bead on his personality she had to find a way to implement the plan. That involved getting close to Riddick on a daily basis. She had learned in her reading that he was pretty damn close to being labeled a sexual predator based on his actions in the slams. Notations were made about his sexual involvement with a number of the female guards and psychologists. He was a heterosexual in nature but not above raping a fellow male inmate if it ensured subservience and material benefits. He seemed to view sex both as an animal pleasure and as a weapon. She didn't think his needs had changed. And she doubted if the chunky little pale drudge he was living with met those needs very well. She just didn't seem the type to satisfy a man like Riddick for very long.

Sex would be her way in under his skin.

It had been difficult convincing the loader foreman that she was more than capable of handling the job. But a few credits and a fellatio later and his objections melted away. He warned her that the job, if not one of the men, would probably kill her. She'd just given him a shitty smile and walked away.

She had felt Riddick's eyes on her from the first day. She had made sure to put a "come-hither" look on her face each time she caught him staring. What disturbed her was that he didn't seem to take the bait right off the bat. Oh, he was definitely interested. But he was fighting the attraction. Avoiding her if at all possible. More than likely he had learned to be wary of all strangers. A successful habit he had acquired over his year or so of freedom.

There had to be a way to force his hand. Make him awash in the sexual hunger that would leave him to her mercy. And her gauge. Allowing her to either kill him or leave him to rot in a Slam City death cell. Her break came when one of the regulars called off work. She had manipulated the shift lead into letting her fill in for the guy on Riddick's crew. 

She had seen him tense up when the shift lead had told him that Miri would be on his team. _Not_ a happy camper. But he had little choice in the matter and instead had tried to avoid her.

The "boxing" had been an answer to a prayer. She couldn't have manufactured a better situation. All that was left was a little touchy-feely with the more sensitive parts of his anatomy. He had fought back at first by refusing to respond. But Miriam Gonzalez had learned how to use sex to her advantage and wasn't about to let a little thing like stubbornness get in her way. So she just kept touching him till she knew he was about to break. She knew he was losing the battle when he didn't push her away. The whispered order to kiss her had been the straw that broke his camels back. 

His rough grabbing and even rougher kiss had signaled her victory. _He was hers!_

Resolutely she ignored the nausea that accompanied the thought that she was allowing the tongue of Johns probable killer into her mouth. Any indignity and repulsive action was worth bringing him in. Johns would've been proud of her performance. After all, he'd taught her by example. No one had been better at pulling the wool over people's eyes in order to get them to trust him.

When the "box" had finally been broken she had felt his return to reality. She probably could have roped him back, but she didn't want to spook him away. Being too forceful could make him suspicious. She wanted him to think she was just some little slut with the hots for a bad ass. If he had even an inkling of her true nature he'd probably kill her then bolt.

So she had let him go with a few parting shots. Knowing they would enflame and intrigue him. 

Lead him right where she wanted him. Into her trap from hell. 

Oh, yes. She knew his hungry eyes were on her as she walked away. Inside she laughed derisively. Who would've ever thought Richard B. Riddick could be lead around by the dick?! 

_My, how the mighty have fallen!_


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 8

As soon as the door opened he knew something was wrong.

Hill was screaming his lungs out and a soft gush of air had brought a whiff of a familiar scent. _Leffner!_

Reacting with knee-jerk instincts, he grabbed Zar's arm and swung her up against the outside wall. Trapping her body behind his. Acting as a shield in case of trouble.

Her scared whisper washed over his heightened senses.

"What is it?"

"Leffner."

"OH GOD! The kids are in there!"  
Panic stripping her of caution Zar tried to move around the muscled wall that was Richard's back. _She had to get to them!_

Richard felt the terror flowing off her. The fear for the children overriding the common sense she normally would've shown.

Feeling her movement, he turned so that her body was maneuvered against the wall by his. Putting his lips close to her ear, he tried to calm her. It wasn't easy because he himself was pumped up with adrenaline and worry. But letting her put herself in a potentially lethal situation was _not_ going to happen!

"Listen to me! Crashing in there and getting yourself killed is not going to help them! Stay here. Let me take care of it. The scent smells a couple of hours old, so he's probably gone. But I'm not taking a chance. You either agree to stay here or I drag you some place safe and then come back. You really want to wait that long for me to help the kids if they need it?"  
Her tear filled gaze met his determined one. She knew he meant what he threatened. She'd have to control her reactions or he would take her out of the situation for fear of her getting hurt.

It took him thirty seconds of searching her eyes for honesty when she nodded her acquiescence. 

"Alright. I'll let you know when it's okay. You hear any signs of struggle and you high-tail it out of hear! Understand?!"

He didn't wait for her agreement. Knowing that without him there to stop her, that she would rush in to try and save him if she thought he was in danger. But he had to try something to make her think twice.

The shiv that had miraculously appeared in his hand a second after the door opened felt good. He could only hope that Leffner didn't have a pulse rifle.

Two steps into the lighted dining area and he knew that Leffner was gone. But his reactions and instincts had been off kilter since Miri Lopresso and her attempted seduction. He didn't feel one hundred percent reliable. What he did feel was pissed at the self-doubt that now reared it's head in this kind of situation.

But within twenty seconds he was positive his first instinct was correct. Leffner was gone. Leaving only his stink behind. But he wasn't going to take chances that the piece of shit hadn't left a booby trap of some sort. Slowly stalking through first the bathroom, his and Zar's bedroom, the common's then Audrey's room he saw nothing denoting a struggle or vandalism. All the doors had been open as normal. They rarely closed them except when in need of privacy. But Toni and Hill's door was closed. Not a good sign.

Shifting to one side in preparation of fuck only knew what, he flashed his hand over the sensor.

The door silently rushed into the wall.

The smell of dirty diapers, blood and fear surged over his skin. The baby squalling in the crib. No Toni.

Then the sight of the body of the floor. Lying crumpled next to the crib.

__

Audrey! Fuck no!

"Zar! Get in here!"

Zar flew from her place next to the apartment's door. Her body rocketing to a stop at the sight of the limp form of Audrey being cradled in Richard's arms. Almost as an afterthought, her mind noted that Hill was in the crib and that Toni wasn't in the room.

Her eyes went blank as grief washed over her. 

__

Not another child dead! Please Dear God, not another child!

She felt the inertia of loss draining the will out of her. She couldn't _DO_ this! Not again.

Richard would just have to handle this. She was going away to some place else. Some place in her mind that would be safe and where pain didn't exist.

She watched as if from a long tunnel as Richard placed two fingers against Audrey's throat.

"She's alive!!! Her pulse is strong. Looks like she's been worked over though."

Closing her eyes, she said a prayer of thanksgiving.

When she raised them she saw Richard carrying Audrey over to the bed. Laying her gently on top.

The grief that had been locking her muscles in place evaporated and she felt herself free to move. Flying over to the bed to touch and reassure herself that Audrey was alive. 

Looking the teenager over carefully she noticed the split lip and bruises that were bright on her face. Rage at Leffner shook through her frame.

"I was wrong. You should've killed him."

"I won't make the same mistake again. Rest assured."

She knew she should've tried to talk sense into him. For his sake if nothing else. But she couldn't bring herself to be so hypocritical. She wanted Leffner dead also. She tore her gaze from Audrey long enough to look into Richard's face. 

His goggles were still on. What she had to say couldn't be said to goggles. It needed to be said eye to eye. 

Taking her hand from Audrey's, she reached up to his face and removed the walls that both hid and protected his eyes.

"You kill him! Whatever, wherever, however."

There weren't many times Richard got to see the side of Zar that was as dark, and as strong, as he was. Only twice had he caught a glimpse of it. Once in her retelling of Brenner's attack on her family. The other when she had plotted Brenner's death in order to protect Richard from himself. He understood perfectly. She wouldn't have survived if she hadn't the ability to coldly contemplate doing what needed to be done. The rest of the time she was a loving, caring, believing woman full of faith in him and their life together. But it was only the two times that he had seen the hate and rage that could rule her.

Now it was three. She was absolutely determined that Leffner die. And perfectly willing to use Richard as her weapon. The woman whose body he knew better than his own was showing one of the true colors of her soul. Not it's only color, but an additional color that even she probably couldn't accept on a normal day. She could be as lethal and as ruthless as he could. Most days she unconsciously buried those tendencies down deep and hid them. Until she needed them.

A vision of Carolyn Fry flashed through his mind.

Her determination to survive. Even if it meant sacrificing the passengers of the freighter she was piloting. Then later fighting, mostly due to guilt, for those same passengers lives. Willing to make the sacrifice of her own life to ensure theirs.

He had always thought Zar and Carolyn very different women with only a few similarities. But at that moment he realized that what had attracted him to both women was their ability to balance the need to do the dirty deeds in life with the ability to let the good rule whenever possible. Something he was slowly learning.

Another woman flashed across his mind. Miri Lopresso and her hands on his body. He didn't think she had the same kind of good/bad balance that Carolyn and Zar had. He didn't think she even thought it necessary to learn it. Whatever she wanted she set out to get. Period. It wasn't a question of good or bad. 

Not immoral or moral, simply amoral. End of story. 

The realization caused a shiver to wash down his spine. That was really what he was if he was honest. Not a true psychopath, but more of a sociopath. One who doesn't recognize that there has to be good or bad. Just needs met. Any way, any how.

Being with Zar made him change from the sociopath though. She made him recognize that a choice had to be made between good and bad. For his own sake.

Except for times like this. Then she let the lines blur. Amoral. End of story. 

Mentally he shrugged. Who was he to condemn a woman who managed to keep making the choice for good ninety-nine percent of the time? She kept the lines razor sharp the rest of the time. And made sure he knew when he crossed those lines. She made him care when he crossed those lines. When before he hadn't cared. The gift of redemption.

If in repayment her could be her weapon of revenge and safety, it was a small enough price to pay.

He cupped the back of her head, bringing her forehead in contact with his. Looking deep into her eyes in promise. 

"Consider it done."

Nodding slowly once in acknowledgement, she turned her eyes back to Audrey.

"She's coming around."

"Audrey, honey. It's Zar. Can you talk?"

Small moans of pain and terror erupted from beaten girls throat as she opened her eyes.

"It's okay! It's okay! Me and Richard are here. Leffner's gone!"

"Toni! Oh God! He has her!"

"Calm down, you're not going to be able to help them if you don't calm down. What happened?"

"Is Hill okay? He's screaming awfully loud."

With her words Zar guiltily become aware of the upset baby. Her previous attention riveted on Audrey. Blocking out the sounds of the baby.

"I'll take care of him. Stay with her Richard. Don't let her get up yet. She's still in shock. We might need to take her to the med-lab."

"NO! I have to find Toni! He'll kill her....or...worse!" The sobs were coming fast and hard. Weakening the girl further. Making her struggles to get up even more ineffectual against Richard's restraining hands.

"Hey! Lay back kid! I'll go find them. But I can't until you calm down and tell me how it went down." Turning slightly towards Zar, "Go take care of Hill then get her some water Zar."

He felt Zar walk over to Hill. Soon she had the baby changed and calmed, resting peacefully in his crib. Blithely unaware of the chaos around him. Hearing her leave the room and head toward the kitchen. Seconds later the sounds of water running and cupboards slamming drifting in from the other room.

He stared at the face of the terrified and hurting girl that was his daughter in spirit if not in body. Softly he wiped the tears from her eyes and the blood seeping from her lip. Taken by surprise when she rose up and threw her arms around him. Feeling her sobs and pain lash through him. Knowing she needed reassurance from him. Needed his strength. 

Holding her tightly, he tried to impart his pledge that he would take care of things to the best of his ability. Not wanting her to have to face the very probable reality that Toni Platz was dead at the hands of Burt Leffner. That all he could do was make Leffner pay. 

He looked over at the doorway . Feeling Zar's presence. Seeing the despair and anger in her eyes that a child she considered her own had once again been used and abused in a battle that wasn't hers. She broke away from the portal and walked slowly towards the embracing pair.

"Audrey, I need to clean you up sweetie. Lie back down."

Kneeling next to the bed, Zar carefully held the glass of water to the teenager's abused mouth. Supporting her head as she reclined and sipped the relief giving liquid.

"Can you talk now?" Richard's impatience was clear. He wanted the information and then he wanted to hunt down Leffner.

"Yeah. I guess. I was in the bathroom when the door buzzer went off. Toni knew about your orders not to open it unless you were here. So I wasn't surprised that I didn't hear voices. I thought they had just given up and went away. 

I came out a few minutes later and there was Leffner! He had Toni in front of him on her knees! He was holding her hair in one hand and a pulse pistol to her throat in the other. He looked like he was high or something. A weird...I dunno..._light_ in his eyes.

I guess I wasn't thinking. Just kinda reacted. I went for him. Figuring I could get him off Toni. I knew I was close enough to get to him before he could shoot."

Audrey broke off when she saw Richard's face tighten. He was royally pissed at her now. She had to admit to herself that it had been a pretty stupid thing to do. But at the time, it seemed the _only _thing to do!

Zar wasn't to thrilled with her either. "Are you fucking nuts child! You know what that maniac is like and you decide to rush him?! You know better than to pull a fool stunt like that Jack... I mean Audrey."

She been relieved when Richard had not reacted other than his face clenching, but obviously he was just deciding on what to do with her because his hand shot out and grabbed her shirt at her neck. Hauling her off the bed and putting her face less than an inch from his. She'd never seen him so pissed. Though for two seconds a vision (memory?) flashed across her mind of another time when his face looked like that. She sensed a dingy room reeking with the smell of whore. Then his eyes were cold with dislike and disgust and ....something else. It was just a flash. She wasn't even sure if it had been a memory or not. 

But his face had one difference from the vision. She knew the anger rolling off him was in fear for her. Not because he hated her.

Still, the sight of him made it hard to swallow. 

"Don't ever do anything like that again." His voice was just barely above a whisper, but it held the intensity of a scream. 

Audrey knew that agreeing, with no bullshit excuses, was her only option if she didn't want to find herself permanently watched till she reached legal age.

It was still hard to get enough spit in her mouth to respond, so she made do with a nod. Relieved when he slowly lowered back down to the bed.

Zar had seen the fear and self-realized stupidity flash over the girls face and would've felt sorry for if not for her own terror. Audrey should've known better than to pull shit like that. So she kept the sympathy from her own face. Instead offering comfort by giving her more water.

"Ready to tell us the rest?"

Casting Richard a wary eye before continuing, Audrey nodded.

"I guess the grease ball didn't expect me to come at him like that. I hit him hard and he let go of Toni. But it didn't take him long to recover. I think he back handed me through the open door. All I remember is the pain and the dizziness. And Hill crying and Toni pleading with Leffner to leave me and the baby alone!

He came into the room and stood over me. He had Toni by the hair again. Dragging her along with him. I thought for sure he was going to kill the baby the way he looked at him! I didn't think I had the strength to fight him much less stop him. He said to tell you that this was pay back for the last time you two met. And that you should've known better than to take what was his. That this was just the first installment on what he owed you back.

Then he kicked me in the side. The last thing I remember is Toni screaming as he dragged her out of the room."

Zar and Richard looked at each other. The knowledge that something other than some cretin's revenge was going on here. The knowledge that Toni Platz was probably dead. The knowledge that Hill Platz was now their responsibility. The knowledge that Burt Leffner was going to have to die. That Riddick was going to have to come out of the box Richard Carolyn took pains to keep him in. 

Burt Leffner had upped the ante. He'd taken a near death beating and came back loaded for bear. Too dumb, or too smart, to let things go.

"You stay here with Audrey and the baby. I'm going after him. It might take a few days. You still have that pulse pistol from when Brenner attacked us?"

Zar nodded.

"Good. Keep it handy. Don't go out. Period. If you don't hear from me within four days, get the hell off the station."

Richard saw fear for him mix with resignation at his determination fill her eyes. He hated causing her more pain, but it was unavoidable. Zar needed to see that things like this happened to him all the time. The last year of peace had been an aberration. He attracted trouble like a fly to shit. She had taught him to try and avoid it rather than run head first into it. But reality was that evil seemed to get off on playing with him. Using him like a bumper in a cosmic game of pinball. Bouncing misfortune off him to see how he would react. Something you just couldn't avoid.

Burt Leffner was one of those things. 

It pissed him off that God let this happen. Oh, he knew he didn't deserve a break. But Zar and Audrey, hell even Toni and little Hill, were innocents in this game. And how the hell longer was he going to have to play? If this was what life was going to be like, fuck it. Let him die now. Before he brought those he loved down with him.

Suddenly he had to get out of there and find Leffner. The sooner it was over the better.

Blindly he rose from the bed, heading for his and Zar's bedroom. Thinking about what to take on his "hunt."

Within five minutes he had changed out of his work clothes and had his duffel bag packed. Coming into the dining area he saw Zar standing at the door. The pulse gun lying on the table. 

Her face was devoid of whatever emotions she was feeling. Trying in her own way to make it easy for him to face a possible death without all the emotional baggage she could throw on him. But he knew his Zar. She wouldn't let him leave without some memory to hold onto.

Stopping in front of her he took a long look at the woman who had changed his life. Unable to shake the feeling that he was about to fuck something up big time. But damned if he knew what. 

He didn't deserve her. She didn't deserve a prick like him. But he'd do whatever it took to keep her in his life as long as possible.

The kiss he left her with was long and wet. Almost angry at the feel of the tears she couldn't hold back any longer. It invaded both her mouth and soul. Branding her his. Promising nothing. Expecting nothing. Gratefully acknowledging, that if this was the end of his existence, he'd been given a glimpse of a life he'd thought never to experience.

Then he was gone and through the door. Never looking back. Accepting that if he survived his encounter with Leffner, that it wouldn't be the last time he would do something like this. He might as well get used to the feeling of failure. Not at surviving, but at permanent redemption. There might long, drugging glimpses of it here and there. Hours spent in Zar's arms, laughing with Audrey, raising Hill, working like an everyday slob. But they were just periods of illusion. This, _this_ was his reality.

  



	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 9

Wearily Richard took off his goggles as he entered the quite living quarters. The apartment was in total darkness except for the vid screen. Foggily he wondered why it had been left on. It was going on 0300 hours and he knew the family would've been in bed for quite a while.

A small smile crossed his lips as he realized that Hill had become part of the "family." Not one of them blood related to the other, but they were a cohesive unit nonetheless. A group of people that loved each other for the shear want of it. As a child he had dreamed of having a family like this. It had taken a hellish life, and the giving up of hope of ever having one, before it had finally happened. And he pitied any asshole who tried to rip them apart. 

His biggest concern was that some bureaucratic eager beaver would get wind of Toni's disappearance and come for Hill. It would be a cold day in hell before he'd let that happen. But so far nothing had been said or done. Like so many victims of crime and domestic upheaval, Toni Platz and her child had fell through the cracks of all the so-called "caring" authorities. 

He knew first hand about "caring" authorities. Close minded idiots every last one of them. They had screwed him every time they touched his life. From the foster families he was placed with to the prison psychiatrists. He wondered sometimes if his life would've been somehow better if a loving passer by had found him in that trash bin instead of a duty minded cop. 

Just one more of those woulda's, shoulda's, coulda's. 

He hung his head in exhaustion from both his long hours searching and the re-hashing of bad memories. He had a hard time remembering when he'd been more tired, though he was sure he had been at some point in time. The three week search for Toni Platz and Burt Leffner had slowly enervated him. Almost every spare moment of his time had been spent combing the Polaris Station. His every heightened sense extending itself, and his strength, for the least hint of their whereabouts. 

They hadn't left the station. His surreptitious perusal of the out-bound logs verified that. No one even coming close to Leffner or Toni's description had gone off-station. And that frustrated him greatly. He could understand if Leffner had dropped off the face of the station. After all, he was an ex-con and knew how to keep a low profile. But not Toni. 

He was ninety-nine percent sure that she was dead. Finding her body or a report of someone else finding her body would provide Zar and Audrey with closure. Maybe then they wouldn't get that half terrified, half hopeful look in their eyes whenever the com sounded or the door buzzed. They both looked like hell. Along with the worry over Toni, Zar had a hard time sleeping when he wasn't there. The same with Audrey. Leffner's attack had seemed to bring back all the old insecurities. She even started having nightmares about the crash on Taurus 2 again. With all the searching, he wasn't there to ease their minds or give them back their sense of security.

After tonight he knew he was going to have to stop the search. Not so much for his sake, but his women's. If he thought it would result in information he would've continued. But he had zippo. And the situation didn't look like it was going to change...ever. Zar and Audrey wouldn't be happy, but he knew the inevitable was slowly sinking into their minds. Toni was lost to them forever. A victim of Leffner's depravity. At least they had been able to save Hill.

Slowly his attention came back to the vid screen. The volume was low but still audible and the images on the screen in dimly lit. 

The hand he had raised to shut it off froze as he took one last look at the screen.

The vid wasn't televising some program originating from the stations entertainment division, it was playing recorded images. Images of a man and a woman having sex.

Him having sex with Miri Lopresso. She was riding him hard, his hands guiding her hips as she gyrated wildly on his lap. He was breathing heavily and she was moaning his name. He watched almost as if from a great distance as he reached for her breasts. She leaned down to kiss him, her hands on either side of his head.

__

THE BITCH! She must've had a hidden recorder in her room! But what did she hope to accomplish by sending Zar the tape? She must've known it would end his relationship with Zar. But did she think he'd come running to her?! Not fucking likely! Unless he came after her to wring her conniving neck!

Suddenly he knew Zar was in the room with him. Burning holes into his back with what he was sure would be shattered eyes. He didn't bother trying to shut off the vid. She had obviously already seen the whole thing. She had left it playing as a welcome for him. A welcome to the end of his life with her.

"Was it worth it?"

The question was barely above a whisper but it carried all her anger and grief inside of it.

He didn't turn to face her. Knowing that once he did he would have to see the destruction, the desolation, the betrayal. 

"Not sure Riddick?" He flinched at the use of his name. The name Zar had relegated to a past life. He still thought of himself as Richard Riddick, but she hadn't. It had been her way of letting him know that she saw him as a brand new man. A man worth loving.

"You promised. _YOU FUCKING PROMISED! _'If I ever want to do this with someone else, I'll give you the respect of letting you know Zar! You. Have. My. Word!' _LIAR!"_

Zar watched as he leaned his head back. A distant part of herself noticed his weariness. But she couldn't bring herself to feel compassion.

She had found the disk taped to the outside of the apartment door as she returned from work. Hoping it contained some information regarding Toni, Zar had played it as soon as she entered the dining area.

At first she thought the disk had been taped to the wrong door. It looked like a porno. Then she took a second look at the man. 

And her world fell apart.

Part of her realized that something was not right. She had been meant to see that tape with all the consequences that would be rendered. Someone obviously wanted her out of Riddick's life. 

He'd been set up. A trap had been laid and he had stepped in it.

That awareness didn't change the fact that the man she thought of as her husband was screwing the brains out of another woman. The pain seemed to take forever to hit. It had taken a minute for it to get through the total stupefaction over what she was seeing. 

When it did strike, it impacted with the force of a meteor. Getting raped and beaten almost to death hadn't hurt this bad! The only pain worse had been witnessing the bludgeoning death of Beth and watching Audrey lose the fight for life after her suicide attempt. At least those times she been either close to unconsciousness or numb.

Not so this time. She was completely alert. Every nerve ending totally open for all the pain. It was then she realized that the death of a dream could hurt almost as much as a physical death. 

A small voice in her head, barely heard over the howling rage and grief of her heart, asked her if she was really that surprised? 

__

Did you really think you could satisfy him forever? That plain, old, monogamous sex would keep him happy? That a man whose senses were a hundred times more aware than yours would be content with soft touches and whispered 'I love you's'?! Are you really that surprised?!

She guessed she shouldn't have been, but she was. Oh not at the fact that he wanted sex with someone else. He _was_ a man after all. But rather at the fact that had lost respect for her. He might be a total shit with others, but with a few exceptions, he had always been straight with her. Never given her a reason not to trust him. Always sure that he would let her know if something was wrong.

All the times he had said that she didn't know the real him flashed across her mind. She hadn't believed him. Now she did.

She was fiercely aware that he wasn't trying to bullshit his way out of it. She didn't think she could've taken it. As it was she wanted to beat the crap out of him. But the four hours of tears had left her physically and mentally exhausted. It took an effort to raise her voice much less her fist. But she had to know. Who was so worth throwing away what she and Riddick had worked so hard to build?

"Who is she?"

It took him a few seconds to answer. He seemed aware that she was primed for the mother of all fights. Not that she didn't deserve to open a can of whoop ass on him. Hell, if that was the worst she did to him he'd be ecstatic! He'd take whatever torture and punishment she could dish out as long as she didn't throw him out of her life.

Finally turning to face her he answered her quietly. "Miri Lopresso. From work."

"How long?" Her voice was rough and low. The evidence of her crying had left her face puffy and blotchy. He felt the stab of regret deep in his heart. It was almost like an old friend. It had taken up residence not thirty seconds after he had finished having sex with Miri.

"Three weeks."

Zar searched his face for the veracity of his words. Less than a day ago she wouldn't have doubted a single word that came out of his mouth. Now it was harder. But his milky eyes held hers steadily. 

"So, while I thought you were out looking for Toni, worrying myself sick that Leffner would kill you, you were really fucking someone else. Did you ever really look at all?"

"You know I did Zar!"

"No...I don't know. The disk tells me you weren't."

Tiredly Richard ran his hand over his shorn head. It was going to be a long night. She was going to put him through hell. But if torturing him kept her from ending their life together then he'd gladly go through it. She deserved answers. Even if it meant confronting his own stupidity and gullibility. He felt as if Miri had led him around by the dick. And he had followed like a puppy. Richard Riddick was not used to being the one skull fucked. He didn't like the feeling.

"It was one time only. You probably don't believe me, but it's the truth. Only one time and only with her. You know she set me up don't you?"

"Yeah, I know it was a trap."

He didn't like the look that was growing in her eyes. A cold numbness. She wasn't kicking him out physically, probably because of her sense of fair play concerning the trap and Audrey. But she was shutting herself off from him emotionally. A deep part of him told him not to let that happen. She had done it to survive when Brenner had attacked her and killed her family. It had taken years and Brenner reappearing for her to open herself back up again. He had to get her to let loose. Let out all the hurt and anger. 

It meant ticking her off royally. Even more than she already was.

Grabbing her by the arm he headed for their bedroom.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Audrey and the baby are sleeping. You want to wake them up when you start caterwauling? It's better if we do this in our bedroom."

Zar eyes blazed at the both the rough handling and the outrageous words.

"There is no _our_ bedroom anymore Riddick! You're sleeping in Toni's room! You lost the right to my bed when you decided Miri Lopresso had a better one."

She tried to drag her feet, but he relentlessly pulled her along. Only the knowledge that she would wake Audrey and Hill kept her from getting loud.

Finally they were in the bedroom and the door whooshed closed behind them.

Riddick still had hold of her arm while staring at her expectantly.

"What?! You expect me to the good little girl and just forget about what you did? To let you touch me and sleep with me?! I'm supposed to act like it was no big thing that you lied to me? That you screwed another woman? That you disrespected me? _Fuck you!_'"

She tried to wrench her arm free from his hold, but he wasn't budging.

"_Let me go_!" Still he just stood there. Imprisoning her easily as he watched her struggle to get free.

The pain washing over her made her struggle harder. She just wanted to be alone to lick her wounds. To work at bringing up the wall that would shield her from the agony of his betrayal. Make her numb.

But as she fought uselessly against his bruising grip the anger started to win. Everything she had been holding back came bubbling up like vomit. It was coming and there was nothing she could do to stop it. 

Her free hand smacked him across the face. Whipping his head around and leaving a bright read hand print marring his skin. She was amazed at how good it felt! 

So she did it again. 

And again.

Soon she was sobbing and hitting. Punching him in his chest, neck and face. Anywhere she could inflict pain. Never noticing that she was hitting with both fists soon after the maelstrom began. He had released her other hand. Giving her the freedom to reign all the anger and pain down on his unresisting body. Letting the minor pain of her blows ease some of the guilt.

He watched carefully for the signs that she was tiring herself out. Soon the sobs turned to wheezing breaths and the punches came less and less. Turning into exhausted, pitiful slaps. She had reached the end.

Her knees buckled and she would have hit the floor hard if he hadn't caught her and lowered himself down with her. Enfolding her in his arms as he leaned his back up against the side of the bed. Whispering words of atonement and apology. But not promises. He himself didn't trust his promises. Rocking her gently. Trying to absorb the pain and rage.

Her body slowly relaxed against his and he knew she slept the slumber of the traumatized. But he didn't let her go. Just continued to hold her and rock her softly. Remembering a night over a year ago much like this one where he had held her on this floor as she poured out the puss that was her anguish. Only her grief had not been caused by him then. 

They had made love for the first time after that night. The beginning of his redemption in his own soul. After what happened with Miri, he wondered if he would ever be redeemed in Zar's eyes again. Or if he had permanently screwed it up. Losing the one of the people in his life that made him, at least partially, a good man. Throwing away the normal life that had been his. How many second chances did a killer get?

He had a hard time picturing a life without Zar's love and friendship. If she couldn't forgive him and let their relationship get back to pre-Miri days, then maybe it would be better if he left. Living with her mistrust and lack of forgiveness would be a hundred times worse than not living with her all. 

He saw now that Miri had been lying in wait for him that very first night he'd gone looking for Toni and Leffner. She had appeared around the corner right before the corridor leading to Leffner's rat hole. She hadn't said a word. Just came up to him and touched the side of his face. Letting her scent, with it's ability to arouse him painfully, do the work of seducing him. Taking him by the hand and leading him back to her rooms. 

All thoughts of Toni and Leffner had been wiped from his mind. Zar had become only a niggling little speck. One that had been pushed way down deep under the onslaught of Miri's determination. The only thing that existed were her luscious mouth and sweet body. And his need to be inside of her. It was as if she had flipped some switch in his brain. A switch that let him think only with his dick. 

Their coupling had been hot and fast. None of the soft touches and murmured love words he shared with his sessions with Zar. It had been intense in a way much different than what he had become used to. More than just casual sex, but yet satisfying empty of emotions. The only thing that existed was the physical drive to copulate with Miri. To release the burning hot current that ran through his body directly to his groin. He hadn't even thought twice about it when he had sunk deeply into her warmth. It had only been after that reality had taken hold. As if the switch had been flipped off from the "on" setting.

He gotten up without a word, dressed and resumed his search for Leffner. He hadn't even said goodbye. Not that she seemed to want even that much verbal interaction with him. It had been all about the sex for her. He hadn't seen her since. His foreman told him that she quit the next day.

Why the hell had he done it?! It was just a piece of pussy for hell's sake! Nothing he hadn't been offered dozens of times since he'd been with Zar. What had made Miri so easy to fall victim too? Why had all his hard won instincts taken a nap when ever she was around? Why did the memory of doing her, far from arousing him, now leave the taste of ashes in his mouth?

As he sat on the cold floor holding the woman he loved more than life itself, he asked the biggest question of all. The question that made his brain scream in well honed warning. 

What was really behind Miri Lopresso's seduction?


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10 

CHAPTER 10

Riddick had attuned his internal clock with Zar's breathing. As soon as it changed from the deep breaths of sleep to the light exhalations of consciousness he awakened. This was their day off from the docks and they had not programmed the alarm. The room was bathed in a simulated light reminiscent of late morning on Earth.

He knew the exact moment she remembered the previous nights events. Never the most alert person in the morning, she had groggily snuggled closer in his embrace as she had for hundreds of past mornings. Then the memories came rushing back and she'd stiffened under their assault. 

She pushed away from him, preparing to leave the bed. But he caught her hand gently against his chest. He didn't know why he did it. Instinct he guessed. Logically he knew he needed to give her some time to get a grip on the total collapse of her world. But as he felt her sleepy warmth dissipating a part of him wanted to delay the inevitable ugliness he knew was coming.

But it didn't.

Instead she kept her eyes trained on his chest and whispered a hoarse "Please...don't."

Ignoring her quiet plea he rolled over to trap her under his body. Hoping the feel of his body, that she had worshipped with hers so many times, would ease some of the injury his betrayal had caused. Bring back good memories and exhilarating sensations. Or at the very least get her fighting with him, bring her out of her pain enfolded shell.

She didn't struggle. She just lay under him. Refusing to meet his searching eyes. Turning her head when he lowered his head to kiss her lips.

An enraged, resentful Zar he would've known how to handle. He'd done so a small number of times. But this sad, drained woman lying under him left him with few ideas on how to proceed. So he let her go.

Watching as she first sat on the edge of the bed then slowly rose to stand next to it. Trying with seeming little success to gain her bearings.

When she spoke her voice was devoid of any emotion except weariness. If he hadn't known better he would've thought she hadn't slept in days. Even the effort to face him seemed more than she could manage.

"You don't have to leave for Jack's sake. It's up to you though."  
Considering that he expected her to kick him out, he figured he would've felt more than the small amount of relief that washed through him. But he knew things weren't okay. She was letting him stay. But she wasn't talking to him like a betrayed lover. She was acting like he was a lodger. A stranger.

"She didn't mean anything to me Zar. It was just sex."

The glance she threw him over her shoulder was bleak.

Snorting softly she let him know that he'd said the wrong thing. "Is that supposed to make it better? Knowing that you threw away everything we had for a quick fuck? At least if you had cared for her it would've been something I could understand. But to ruin so much for so little return? No Riddick, I would've rather she meant something to you. But it doesn't matter now, does it?"

He wanted to fight against her antipathy. But he was on unfamiliar ground. When he'd hurt Jack...Audrey...he'd been able to avoid making amends due to her amnesia. He had been given the chance to start all over again with her. He didn't have that option with Zar. 

Riddick had never made amends with anyone before. He had always lived his life the way he wanted. If that meant causing people pain, both physical and and/or emotional, then so be it. Hell, it wasn't as if the people in the past had ever been concerned with his feelings. And once he had been introduced to the penal system it had become even worse. He was treated like an animal with no worth and in turn he had treated others the same way.

Carolyn Fry had changed all that. She made him care about the consequences of his actions. He wasn't sure he knew how to fix the aftermath of his misdeeds with Zar. The situation obviously called for more than just a few passionate "I'm sorry's" and kisses. But what?

All he could do is give her space and hope she gave him some clues on how to proceed.

He rubbed his hands over his face then watched as Zar shuffled towards the door. She moved like an old woman. Or a woman who was afraid the floor might give way.

Once again the stupidity of his actions with Miri doused his mind. He had really fucked it up this time. His belief in his special talent for turning everything good in his life to shit reinforced a hundred fold. The best things in life weren't for him. 

Zar felt his eyes on her back as she left the bedroom. 

When the door closed she leaned against the wall next to it. Gathering herself to begin a new day. A day she had no desire to be a part of. She just wanted to crawl in some hole and cover it over with dirt.

She wasn't suicidal. She knew she'd survive this. The pain would eventually fade and she'd learn to cope.

But before that happened she was in for the ass kicking of a lifetime.

How much could one person stand?

She knew no one was guaranteed any certain amount of happiness. That you took the good with the bad. 

And when she thought about it, she realized she had left herself open for the chaos that was Richard B. Riddick. She might not have been able to stop herself from falling in love with him, but she could've stopped herself from getting involved. Her eyes had been completely opened after the first time they had made love.

He'd been honest about his life and who he really was. Hadn't candy coated shit. 

She could've let it be a one night stand then let the two of them go back to being acquaintances, or friends, or whatever. He would've let her too. She always knew that he felt he was too dangerous to be in her life. Riddick had his own sense of fairness. Probably one of the reasons why he didn't get involved with too many non-criminal people on any but the most basic levels. He didn't want to drag them down into the shit hole of a life that had been his before coming to the Station. 

So what now?

Pretending it had never happened wasn't realistic. 

She still loved him when all was said and done. So ending the relationship was out of the question. 

But moving beyond it seemed impossible also when all she could see was Miri gyrating wildly on Riddick's naked body. And though he had said it was "just sex", it had obviously been good sex from the expression on his face on the disk.

Would it happen again? With Miri? With someone else?

How could she forgive him and still keep her self-respect?

How could she ever let him touch her again?

She wanted to hurt him like he had hurt her. That was understandable. But even stronger was the desire for it all to go away. Even better, for it never to have happened. 

God! All this thinking and agonizing was giving her a headache! 

She'd just have to do what she always did when the pain got too bad. Put it in a little box and bury it down deep in her heart. Hope never to see it ever again. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. Only time would tell. In the meantime, just go on with life one day at a time. 

"Zar! What's wrong?!"

She'd been so wrapped up in her misery that she hadn't heard Audrey come from her room. The teen-ager held Hill who was contentedly sucking on his thumb.

"Why are you crying? Is it Richard?! Did he ever come home last night?"

Reaching up, Zar was surprised to feel the wetness on her cheeks. She hadn't realized she'd been crying.

Brushing away her tears she made the immediate decision not to involve Audrey with the whole Miri thing. It would just be one more thing for the kid to handle after Burt Leffner, and Toni and everything else. The girl had few illusions left. Trashing Richard would only ruin one more. She loved the man with all her heart and soul. He was her world. No matter how much he might deserve it, Audrey didn't.

"It's nothing sweetie. Just had something in my eyes. And yeah, Richard's home. He came in around three." She smiled bravely up at Audrey and searched her face for proof that she believed the lie.

The almost sixteen years old, Audrey was taller than her and turning into a real beauty. Shaved head and all. Big blue eyes, clear creamy skin with a long, lithe body. She had blossomed so much since coming to live with Zar. And she was a good person to boot. Zar was proud to think of her as a "daughter."

She hated was she had to do next. But at the same time, she didn't think Audrey still had too much hope left for Toni.

"Audrey, I'm sorry, but he didn't say anything about finding Toni. I think we have to accept the fact that she's probably dead."

Audrey swallowed past the ball that immediately developed in her throat. Zar was only telling her what she already knew, but to actually hear it hit hard.

"Here, let me take Hill. You sit down."

The baby came quietly to Zar's arms. Equally happy to be with either woman. For all the tyke had been through he was an amazingly cheerful baby. He loved being held and cuddled. But he was absolutely blissful whenever Richard interacted with him. Gurgling and blowing bubbles at the big man whenever he held him. 

Another reason not to end the relationship. Both children would be hard pressed to lose him.

"I'm sorry Audrey. Toni didn't deserve what Leffner dished out. We all tried to help. But he'd done too much damage to her. She just couldn't find her way out of the black hole he'd shoved her down it to. All we can hope it that she's at peace. And that some day Leffner will get his just rewards. At least Hill's safe."

"Yeah. I guess I always knew she'd end up dead. She just never seemed to have the strength to fight back. Or run. Or hide. It's like she knew she'd end up dead anyways. 

How come some people do and some don't Zar? Like you and me. I ran as far away from...well, some really bad shit, and you did to. We did what we had to do to survive."

"I dunno. I really don't. Sometimes even when you don't want to survive, something inside makes you. Sometimes it doesn't. I just don't know."

A memory of Audrey lying close to death in a med-lab bed came to Zar. The girl had given up when Richard had abandoned and attacked her. Unable to tap into that "something" that had helped her survive other bad times. If it hadn't been for Richard coming around and refusing to give up on her, Audrey would be dead.

In her own case, she didn't know why she had survived. After the death of Beth, she had truly wanted to die. But something had stopped her. God? Destiny? Stubbornness? Who knew?

"Sometimes it's other people who make the difference. But it's always a gamble. I guess you could call it fate, or God or whatever."

"Yeah, I guess." A flash of fear swept across her face. "You don't think Leffner will come back for Hill do you?!"

"I don't think so. If he had really wanted to kill him, he could've done it when he took Toni. My guess is that he used that threat to control and terrorize her. And besides, Richard can't find any trace of him either. He probably killed Toni and then high tailed it off the station. Or took her with him. Either way, he's not an issue anymore." 

Zar was pretty confident that she was right. Too much time had passed for a man as impatient as Leffner not to have returned for more attacks if that had been his plan.

She felt a true sadness at the thought of losing Toni. The girl had seemed doomed from the beginning. She wondered if she could've done more for her. But her inner voice answered her with a "no." Toni had seemed predestined to follow her path. Maybe if she had had the strength break out of the cycle of violence it would've been different. But once caught in the whirlpool of brutality, she became like so much flotsam. Thrown willy nilly at the whim of it's current.

Not even the strong hand of Riddick had been able to pull her from the raging river of injustice.

The sound of the door buzzer brought both women out of their reveries.

Audrey gave Zar an apprehensive look. Still worried about Leffner even after Zar's reassurance. The memory of Richard's warning to let him get the door at all times ringing through her mind.

"It's okay Aud. I told you Leffner's probably long gone by now."

"I know. But Richard said to let him get the door."

"That was before. It's okay now. Besides, he's...sleeping still. I'll get it. You go get Hill's breakfast. I think he needs changed too. Kinda ripe."

"Hee hee, yeah. Ripe is right. Come on little fellow. Let's get you changed while Zar gets the door."

As a precaution Zar waited till the twosome had gone back into the bedroom before buzzing the intercom.

"Who is it?"

"Miri Lopresso. I need to see Richard."


	11. Chapter 11A

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 11

Zar took a step back involuntarily in shock. Eyes widening and heart racing in reaction. 

What in the HELL did the woman want?!

Glancing at the door behind which Riddick slept, she debated what her next move should be. Ignore the bitch, roust Riddick and let him handle Miri or just get the confrontation over with.

Miriam stared at the door with a small smile. She had no problem imagining the thoughts running through the Cholena woman's mind. Anger, betrayal and shock were just some of the emotions she'd bet. Her showing up here the night after discovering Riddick's infidelity was like rubbing salt in an open wound. It hurt like the fuck.

The pain Zar was going through somewhat made up for the monkey wrench she'd thrown in Miriam's plans. 

She'd been sure the dumb bitch would've thrown Riddick out when she'd seen the disk. That's what any self-respecting woman would've done. But evidently Riddick's little plaything didn't have too much self-respect. 

Miriam had watched the apartment door for hours after Riddick had come home. Waiting for the hopefully angry, and therefore distracted, killer to leave the apartment. When that happened she would follow him until they were in a relatively deserted area of the station. Then let her presence be known. He'd be pissed at her, but still totally unaware of her real identity. Her real agenda. The very real threat she posed to him. She'd take advantage of his anger and confusion to get close and steal a kiss. Her lips coated with the knockout dope Dormoxis, a drug much like the prohibition lowering and lust raising spray Erotocan that she applied to her throat at their first meeting. 

Dormoxis, like Erotocan, was a DNA based nerve agent. It worked on only one person's genetic code. The base was mixed with DNA from the intended victim and voila, instant Mickey. She had some of Riddick's DNA left over from the salvage operation of the Hunter-Gratzner and mixed the concoctions herself. 

Johns had been the one to teach her about mind-altering drugs and how they could be useful in capturing escapees. Unfortunately he'd been ensnared by them and their pain killing effects. Another debt she gave Riddick at least partial credit for. 

When Riddick awoke on her transport, he'd be woozy and sick as a dog. The agents packed a powerful aftereffect. It took men many days to overcome their usage. Even Riddick, with his Profearaben enhanced healing system, would need some time to cope. It would give her plenty of breathing space to properly secure him. And to torment him both physically and mentally. He'd look like a horse that had been rode hard and put away wet by the time she was through with him. The Slam City assholes didn't care what shape he came back in. As long as he was technically alive.

When an hour had passed and both he and Zar had remained inside, she'd been sure her plan was royally fucked. She needed, on a basic gut level, to see Riddick humiliated and abandoned. With no one to turn too. With all he thought of as his own in ashes smoldering at his feet. That's when she would come in and take him down. 

Letting him know that it was a lover of Johns who had orchestrated the collapse of his lovely little world. Watching him writhe with the pain of loss and re-inprisonment.

So she had thought long and hard as the night had worn on. She wasn't going to give up that easy. The key seemed to be the Cholena heifer. She had more balls than originally given credit for. But when the going got really down and dirty, how big would those balls remain? How much humiliation and betrayal could she take? The breaking point in her relationship with Riddick seemed to have a pretty high threshold. But the point being that all relationships had a line that could not be crossed without causing irreparable damage. 

Miriam would just have to raise the intensity. And though Riddick fucking her hadn't broken the bond between he and Zar, she was pretty sure it had put a serious crack in it. A crack that just needed a little more wedging to widen the gap and let the whole fucking thing fall apart.

And that's when the idea hit her. 

She'd ran a check on the woman. Knew about the Jessup 2 incident with some petty, self-important, back world, protection "family." She'd even been impressed that the weak little piss-ant had survived it. She would've been even more impressed with Brenner's death if she didn't know that Riddick had been the one to really kill him. Oh, the authorities had said it was a case of a woman defending herself. But any merc who knew that an animal like Riddick was involved would've seen his handwork and knew who the real killer was. A clean slice to the fourth lumbar down. A Riddick signature if ever there was one. 

Thanks to the information she had on Zar she had a good idea at what her weak points would be. By the time Miriam got done with her, she'd be a giant open wound ready to spill it's puss on the source of it's infection. All directed at her loverboy, Riddick.

But first she had to get the twit to let her in.

"Hello?! Did you hear me? I want to see Richard Carolyn!"

Ten seconds later the door smoothly receded in the wall. Revealing the two women who had managed to get under Riddick's protective defenses.

Miriam smiled impudently at a glaring Zar. Gracefully leaning against the door jam while folding her arms under her breasts. 

Zar looked over the woman before her. She noted her beauty. Could see 

how her bad girl looks would appeal to a man like Riddick.

"How'd ya like the disk sweetie? Never thought you'd see your boyfriend do that with another woman did you? Then again, you probably saw Richard Carolyn in a whole new light. He probably doesn't get all that worked up with you, huh?"

Miriam watched with satisfaction as Zar's nostrils flared, marking the hit.

But Zar refused to rise to the bait. She'd be damned if she got in a cat fight over any man! Even one she loved as passionately as Richard Riddick. Fight FOR him? Till the last breath in her body. Fight OVER him? Not bloody likely.

"What. Do. You. Want?"

"I told you. I'm here to see Richard. He and I have some unfinished business."

The urge to smack the slut's face was making Zar's palms itch. But she kept reminding herself that Richard was the one who let her into their lives. That he hadn't been raped, but seduced. And if he hadn't been willing in the first place, this little confrontation wouldn't be taking place.

"Well, he's still sleeping. You'll have to talk to him at work tomorrow."

"Oh, I don't work there anymore. You see, I won't be able to do that kind of work much longer."

Miriam knew the exact second the implications of her words sunk into Zar's mind. Her eyes widened and lips compressed. A hectic flush rose from her neck. Soon it encompassed her entire face. Her hands fisted at her sides. Rage and hurt radiated out from her vibrating body.

"What the fuck is going on here?!"

Miriam was pleased to note that not even the sound of an obviously pissed Riddick could tear Zar's eyes from her triumphant face.

Glancing over to a shirtless Riddick, she had to admit that he was a fine specimen of a man. Tall, thickly muscled, with smooth, warm-toned skin, and a sex appeal that most women would find irresistible. Add to that his mysterious eyes and whiskey voice and it seemed almost an abomination that such a handsome body encased a cess-pit for a soul.

She smirked even more as she looked back to the dangerously silent Zar. 

"Looks like he's awake. Aren't you going to kiss him good morning?"

Riddick could feel the fury rolling off Zar. He didn't need to see the clenched fists or tight shoulders or her not turning to face him to make it obvious that Miri had already done a number on her.

The urge to kill the scheming bitch was a fever spreading like wildfire over his already stretched nerves. The old Riddick would've done it in the blink of an eye. But the very woman who had made him change his reactions was standing in the room. It was almost comically ironic. 

Miri wouldn't have been able to make him the man that hurt Zar if it hadn't been for Zar making him the man he was today. The consequence of change. 

"Get out. Now." Any other person would've been instinctively terrified by the very quietness of his voice. A warning in itself that pain and terror would ensue if his directives were not followed.

But Riddick was quickly coming to realize that his first reaction on seeing Miri Lopresso was correct. She was not like every other person. She was something much more. She was danger in walking, talking, human form. She meant him and those in his life grievous harm.

She reinforced his belief when she just smiled more widely at his order. 

"But don't you want to hear the good news loverboy?"

Every hair on the back of Riddick's neck stood on end at her contemptuous laugh. Something very wrong was going down here. And Miri was at the dead center of it. She was about to knock his world into tomorrow and he probably wasn't going to be able to do a damn thing about it.

"What could you possible have to tell me?! That you plan on fucking up my life? News flash! You've succeeded! I don't know what game you have planned, but I'm not playing anymore."

"Oh, I think the games just started. And what's even better is that instead of just the two of us participating, they'll be four now."

"Four?! Stop being so cryptic Miri. Say your piece and leave."

"I don't think I'll be leaving anytime soon lover. Though you might be. Depends on what the ole' ball and chain here has to say about my news. You see, I'm pregnant with your brat."

He didn't react with the staggering shock she expected. 

For three seconds he just stared at her malicious face. Then he moved so quickly that even Miriam with her honed reflexes didn't see him coming.

But she felt the impact of his hand brutally pulling her to him. Then slamming her back up against the wall. Entrapping her body with his. She felt a flash of fear that she had overestimated the amount of change Zar had put him through. She saw her death in his cold milky eyes.

Then his eyes flicked over to the silent Zar. She hadn't moved. Just stood staring at the spot Miriam had been in ten seconds ago. The anguish on her face making his hands tighten cruelly around Miriam's wrists.

It was then Miri knew that he wouldn't do it. If he had been going to kill her, it would've been kill first, handle Zar later. But instead he had focused firstly on the pain of his mate. Miriam had him right where she wanted him.

"You're a fucking liar! Tell her you're lying!"

"Am I? I think you know better."

Roughly his hand encompassed both of her wrists. Leaving his free hand to press harshly against her abdomen.

"I don't feel anything. You're blowing smoke up my ass."

"Un, uh lover. I'm only three weeks along. Just got the results back from the med-lab. You're going to be a papa and we're going to be one big happy family. Just you, me and baby makes three."

Miriam knew the second she had pushed too far. The man before her was instantly transformed into the killer from the images in the prison reports. Snapped under the stress of seeing the one good thing in his life ripped to shreds. She prepared her body to fight for its life. Angry at herself for not bringing a weapon. Sure she wouldn't have needed it just yet. 

But the hand approaching her throat made contact with Zar's first and so instead of closing around her windpipe, it connected like a fist. The back of Zar's hand blunting the impact, if not the pain, of being hit in what would've been a life-ending area of the throat.

Miriam's head snapped back with the force. She thought she had heard something snap. But she wasn't sure if it had been in her body, Riddick's hand or Zar's. The stars that peppered her vision and the pain that pounded throughout her head and throat made the question irrelevant. Staying conscious and breathing were first priorities.

It the midst of a killing haze, Riddick stared stupidly at the impediment to his soul deep need to murder this woman who had caused so much damage. Who so needed to die. Slowly his glare traveled up from the small, plumb hand that enfolded his fingers to the arm that it connected to. It was trembling with the force of holding his back.

When his silvery deranged eyes encountered the pain and tear filled orbs of the woman he would die for, he came back to reality like a meteor making planet fall. Astonished at his loss of control. Astounded at the bravery and compassion of the woman who would save her enemy's life at the cost of her own. 

Because for one split second he had wanted to kill Zar for her interference with his attempt to murder Miri. But it had only lasted a second. Then sanity had once again regained it's hold on his mind. The animal retreating until another opportunity arose.

Silently Zar shook her head at him. Letting him know that she couldn't allow him to kill Miri and the baby.

"Let her go Richard."

He looked back at the half-conscious woman he held pinned to the wall. The urge to kill her was still strong, but even stronger was the urge to do whatever Zar wanted him to do. Anything to keep her with him. 

Slowly he opened his hand and let her wrists escape from his clutch. Watching dispassionately as she slid down the wall to sit on the floor. Coughing and gagging sounds still coming out of her injured throat. Her head hanging forward trying to ease the distress of her body.

When he looked up at Zar she was staring blankly at Miri while cradling the hand that had stopped him.

He remembered the force with which he went for Miri's throat and cringed as he imagined Zar's tiny hand absorbing the impact.

Gently taking her limb from it's resting place on her stomach, he examined the shattered and rapidly swelling hand. 

"We need to get you to a med-lab."

Zar continued to stare down at Miri. At a seeming loss to know where to go from there.

Gently taking a hold of her chin, Riddick brought her face up so that her eyes met his.

"I'm...sorry. That wasn't meant for you."

"I know. But I couldn't let you do it. No matter what she is or what she's done. She's carrying your child."

A sad little smile flashed over her wet face as she focused her eyes on anywhere but his. 

"Something I can never do."

Abruptly his fingers tightened on her chin. Demanding her eyes meet his with a force just short of causing pain.

"Do you think I give a flying rats ass about that?! I'm not with you in spite of the fact that you can't get pregnant. Hell, as far as I'm concerned it's an advantage! If there was ever anyone who should NOT reproduce I think yours truly is that person. 

We have the only children I ever want. More than I ever thought I'd have! And though they're not of our blood, I couldn't want them anymore if they were! They'll probably turn out better for the lack of my blood.

I know you miss Beth. I know you'd have my baby in a heart beat. But don't you transfer your insecurities on to me. You could be missing an arm, a leg and an ass cheek and still be woman enough for me! 

UNDERSTAND ME ZAR?! 

Don't let her do this to you! She's already done enough damage, albeit with my help. I, for one, am through with it! She's probably not even knocked-up. Even if she is, she and HER brat are getting out of here forever then I'm taking you to the med-lab so that they can Autoknit that hand."

"You can't just forget about your responsibility concerning the baby Richard!"

A deep scorn-filled laugh flowed across her face.

"Yeah, right! Tell that to the bitch who left me in a liquor store trash bin Zar! Life is not priceless. It's totally expendable. It's a penny a pound. Especially for kids in this galaxy. Look at Jack if you need to see the truth! Better yet, remember what they did to Beth! 

A persons life is only worth what they are willing to give it. 'Cause sure as fuck no one else gives it any worth. The ones too weak or too small to fight for it are just S.O.L., unless they have someone to fight for them.

And I'm not willing to fight for that thing inside of Miri. Even if I could forget the fact that it's part of a woman I will loathe forever. It also comes with too much baggage. If it was our kid I'd give it a try, for you. 

She wants the kid?! Fine, she can have it. She did it on purpose anyway. She's too smart a bitch not to know about birth control. But I'll be damned if she uses it to work me or hurt you!"

Zar's shaking had intensified as the fury and pain spilled from the man who had been taught the hard way what life was worth. She wasn't sure if it was from the broken hand, or if it was from the ugliness coming from the man she entrusted with her heart and soul.

The last year and a half seemed to dissipate like fog being burned away with morning Sun. All the love and commitment she had invested in this man had been stripped away in one minute of hate and violence. 

She was no longer in the room with the Riddick she had come to know and love. The hard, emotionally near-empty man who had walked off the battered transport into her life had fought it's way from under the veneer of civilization and redemption that Zar had given Riddick. 

Maybe he had never really gone anywhere. Just lied low waiting for an opportunity to come back.

And Miri Lopresso had given him that opportunity.


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 12

Audrey watched as Zar stared out into space.

She'd been doing that a lot for the last few days. But every time Audrey asked her if there was something wrong, Zar would just give a half-hearted smile and say "It's nothing."

But Audrey knew it was definitely "something."

It had been "something" ever since that day Audrey had walked back into the dining area to see all Hell breaking loose. She'd come just in time to see Richard haul an unknown dark haired woman from the floor and throw her out of the apartment. While Zar held her left hand in a protective embrace with tears streaming down her face. Begging him to leave the woman alone.

But Richard had ignored Zar. The gleam of rage making his eyes shine that much brighter.

Only when the door had closed on the wobbly form, had he turned on Zar. The look on his face had made Audrey take an involuntary step back. Self-preservation overriding the need to protect Zar.

But all he'd done was to gently take her hand into his. It was obvious that Zar hadn't wanted him touching her. When she tried to pull it away he seemed reluctant to let it go. His jaw tightening in frustration as he glared at Zar's bent head. His face a fascinating mix of concern, regret and leftover fury.

"You need to get that taken care of. If you won't let me take you to the med-lab, at least let Audrey."

Zar hadn't raised her eyes to his. Just nodded her head and glanced towards Audrey.

When she spoke it was with great effort. "Is the baby sleeping?"

Audrey had simply nodded. Dazed at the obvious change in the relationship between Richard and Zar. Richard, who always seemed to be in the grip of an iron self-control, appeared to be on the verge of losing it. While Zar seemed to actually be leery of the big man. Something Audrey had NEVER seen before. A very bad feeling was building in her gut. It felt uncomfortably familiar. She'd known what the feeling meant. Her life was about to take a drastic change for the worse.

"Can you get him up for me Audrey? Get him ready to go with us." Zar said.

Richard impatiently replied. "Don't worry about him. I'll watch him."

The thought seemed to send he into a panic. "NO! I mean...it's better if we take him with us."

"I'm not going to hurt him Zar." Richard angrily rasped. "You know me better than that."

Still Zar wouldn't look at Richard in the face.

She swallowed deeply before replying. "I thought I did. But after what just happened, I don't know. I just don't know."

Richard took an aggravated step towards her. Instantly stopping when Zar's body tensed in fear.

Quietly he said, "Well...I guess it's finally sunk in. I've been telling you for how long to watch out for me. 'Guess you finally believe me. Too bad. You almost had me believing you when you said I wasn't that person anymore."

Zar rolled her lips between her teeth and shut her eyes tightly. When she finally relaxed she spoke through a tear-clogged throat. "Richard...There's never been an innocent involved. I've only seen you act in violence whenever one of us has been in danger. There was no danger with Miri. Well, not the kind that warranted you killing her and...the fetus. I just can't get the picture out of my head. I'm sorry." 

He took a step back. His face becoming eerily blank. The silence in the room became like a malevolent presence. Swirling around the three people trapped within it's sickly-sweet web.

He spoke with the quiet force of a decision being irrevocably made. "Get him Audrey. Do whatever Zar wants." 

Grateful to be released from the tension filled tableau, she'd fled to her room to gather up Hill.

Emerging short minutes later with the sleepy, but blessedly quiet, infant in her arms. Zar and Richard had not moved. He was still staring vacantly at Zar's profile and she was still refusing to meet his gaze.

The trio made there way towards the apartment door. 

Zar hesitated at the threshold. Wanting to say something to the stranger that was Richard, but unsure of how to proceed. "I...we'll talk when I get back."

Before she was forced to hear his response, she rushed out the door. Leaving Audrey to catch up with Hill.

But first the teen-ager had made sure of something. The panicked little voice in her head had demanded it. "You're not going anywhere are you? You'll be here when we get back. Right?" She'd hated the pathetic thread of terror in her voice. But something down deep was telling her that it would be very bad if Richard left. Bad for Zar, bad for Hill and very bad for her. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew. It was coming from the black pit of nothingness that held her lost memories. The wake of his leaving would rip the heart right out of her. It would blow her world apart. How could she ever go on without him? Without his strength? 

The thoughts felt like they had always been there. Sitting like a gargoyle on her shoulder, whispering their poison in her ear. 

"It'll be okay kid."

Grabbing on to his reassurance with both hands she bolted through the door to catch up with Zar.

Never realizing until hours later that he hadn't actually promised not to leave. Or that he hadn't shown one ounce of emotion as he spoke.

By the time the three of them had returned Richard was gone. So was the majority of his clothes and personal items.

A fear gripped Audrey deep in her vitals. Deja vu swirling around her brain making her confused and numb. Then the anger hit. And she had to admit that it had felt better than the fear. The anger made her realize that she would survive this time. No matter what, she would survive. 

What had happened between he and Zar? The day before everything was fine. The next morning Zar was crying, Richard was manhandling some strange woman and the world had turned upside down. 

How could he do this AGAIN? 

Again? 

Why did it feel like this had happened before? That this wasn't the first time he had left her to fend for herself? Betrayed her? Flashes of a rainy night, filled with screams and blood, kept popping into her mind. The sense of having seen her own blood flow into the ground shimmering across her nerves. She couldn't even tell if they were two separate memories or one.

Soon it became too much to even think on. Confusion, grief, anger, fear. A giant mess of emotions that battered her already Leffner abused soul. She might come out this mess intact, but it would be with a few more scars. 

Worry about Zar wasn't helping matters.

She was strangely quiet. Reflecting on her own private Hell evidently. Oh, she did the everyday things that needed done. She went to work, cooked, took care of Hill whenever Audrey couldn't. But the air of sadness and preoccupation never left her.

Zar felt Audrey's eyes on her, but couldn't bring herself to put on the "everything's okay" act that she'd been using the last few days. Each day the loss of Riddick was eating more of her soul away. 

She couldn't shake the feeling that she had made a very big mistake. That she should have trusted him. Supported him against Miri's transparent machinations. Never letting her come between the two of them. 

His screwing Miri had not changed Zar's love for him, so why had his violent treatment of the bitch affected her so much? 

Even though he had constantly reminded her about his past, she'd never seen any sign that he was psychotic. Ruthless when he and his were threatened, but never deranged. Hadn't he proved time and time again that he would never raise a hand to those he loved? He had even tried to get Brenner to walk away in the first minutes of the confrontation in the alley. Doing this even though he had set out to kill Brenner and was only doing it for Zar's sake. Only killing him after Brenner had tried to kill both Zar and Richard.

Then again, there was the problem of his Profearaben contaminated blood.

And what about his attack on Audrey? The one that had led to her attempted suicide. But he'd done that in what he thought was Audrey's best interest. Thinking that the giving of a little pain then would save her from an even more agonizing future if he was to stay in her life. Admitting his error when he saw the issue of his actions result in Audrey lying near death in a med-lab bed.

He had even let Leffner live when he confronted him. And if ever there was a man deserving of death, Burt Leffner was that man. Even Zar had longed for his death.

Seeing him try to kill a pregnant Miri had thrown Zar for a loop. Made all those times he said he was not good for her rise up from the place she had buried them deep in her mind. Sure that she would never have to heed his warning. But hadn't he always shown that he would do anything to protect those he considered his own? Miri was threatening everything he had worked so hard for. 

A life with a woman who loved him no matter what his past, a blue-collar (albeit grunt) job, a family. As normal a life as he had ever hoped to live. Everything that Zar was sure had seemed totally unattainable when he'd been sitting in the dark bowels of Slam City. Mutilating his body, using his skills at survival in the fighting arena, waiting for a painful death.

Now some conniving witch comes along, takes a liking to fucking with his precious new life, and Zar expects him to just lie down like a good boy and take it?!

The enormity of her naivete took her breath away. She'd broken her promise to stand by him no matter what. Losing sight of the man behind the actions. He'd fucked up royally with Miri, and that had hurt like crazy. But he didn't deserve losing everything for one mistake.

Now that she was calmer, she knew he hadn't screwed Miri to hurt her. Why exactly he'd done it was still a mystery to her. Though the realist in her said 'Take a good look at Miri.' And when right down to the truth, they weren't married. Their union one of choice rather than legality. 

There was no excuse for his treachery, but at the same time she recognized the effort it had taken him to remain faithful this long. He was not a man used to a monogamous relationship. Hell, the only long-term one-on-one relationships he'd ever had had been with officers, prison guards and merc's. Not exactly conducive to strong romantic and familial connections.

Looking back on their association together, she was amazed at the gentleness and effort he had put into it. Made mistakes definitely. As she had. But the same mistakes any man or woman could make. He was no more a heartless killer than she was. Just one able to do what needed to be done to stay alive and protect what he held dear. If she was truthful with herself, it was a trait she appreciated.

If Lloyd had had even a little of Richards strength, he, Tollis and Beth might not be dead. It was his gift and his curse that he was so good at it that he ended up making people both fear him and be fascinated by him.

He must have truly cared for her. Loved her even. And now he was gone. 

Richard had been right, she had let Miri win. 

If she thought it would have done any good she would go look for him. But she kept remembering the look in his eyes as she told him that she believed him capable of killing an innocent. The last time he'd left it had taken a dying Audrey to bring him back. Zar doubted even that would do the trick at this point. 

This time he believed that Zar wanted him gone. She knew enough about his emotional survival tactics to figure out what his next course of action would be. 

Cut all ties. 

Move on. He was probably off Polaris Station by now.

The thought should have made her cry. But all she could muster was a numb sort of acceptance of the empty years that stretched out before her.

Audrey would soon be on her own. Having grown both physically and emotionally. She, rather than Zar, was the one who took care of Hill more often than not. If fact, she was a good substitute mother to the baby. 

Zar could see the difference in her reactions from the last time Richard had left. She was scared and angry like last time. But this time the anger was winning out. As it should. It meant she would survive.

She saw a life of lonely days and nights, much like her life was before Richard and Audrey. And the feeling of being meant to be alone, that she had since childhood, came back deep in her soul. It seemed that each time she tried to force a different fate for herself – Lloyd, Beth, Richard- she was destined to lose them in horrible ways.

The tears were on the verge of starting again.

She was so fucking tired of crying.

Unable to stay still with her thoughts any longer, she jumped up and started to clear the dish covered table. She'd overeaten, as usual when stressed out. While Audrey had hardly touched her food.

Soon everything was done and it was still only mid-morning. 

She came to a decision. If life was going to be a bitch no matter what, she might as well get on with it. Maybe it would end that much sooner.

"Aud, I'm going in to work late. You going to be okay with Hill?"

Audrey looked at Zar with the surprise evident in her eyes. "Yeah, but...are you sure? Maybe Richard will be come back. You want to be here for that."

Zar was amazed at the inexhaustible hope that seemed to be so much a part of the woman-child. Most of the time it would make her smile, at that moment it made it her feel old and irritated.

"Audrey, he's not coming back. We need to deal with it. Please, just DEAL with it. Okay?"

Zar felt like a bitch when Audrey's face fell. But she felt pride in the girl when seconds later Audrey straightened her spine and wiped her tear-filled eyes. There'd be no suicide attempt this time. "Yeah. I guess you're right. Life can't stay on hold forever. We'll make it."

Moved beyond words at the teen-agers bravery, Zar hugged her fiercely. She shown a lot a guts in standing up for Toni against Leffner and now she was showing the true heart of a survivor with Riddick's leaving. Amazing what time could do both for the better and for the worse. 

"You're a great kid Aud. Well, not a kid much longer I guess. Almost a woman. I'm so blessed to have you in my life."

Audrey wrapped gangly arms around Zar's waist. Taking comfort in the plusher woman's embrace. "Me too Zar. Go to work. Me and Hill will be fine. Maybe tomorrow we'll see about that daycare they have one floor down. It looked nice from what I've seen before. I should go back to school... I guess."

Zar laughed lightly at the grimace that accompanied the Audrey's last sentence.

Grabbing her work overalls that hung on a hook next to the door, she threw a glance back at the Audrey.

"Thanks sweetie. For making this a little easier."

"You're welcome. At least we have each other."

Zar gave small smile and wave and slipped out the door.


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 13

The little cock-sucker ambushed him in his place. Tormenting and teaching Toni a lesson about running away. Very hard lessons. His usual activities for the last three weeks or so after he had snatched her un-loyal ass from Riddick's apartment. When he wasn't making her feed him or wash his clothes or play the whore for him that is. 

Hell, if he hadn't been having such a fucking great time, he probably would heard the merc bitch breaking her way into the even worse dump he'd been forced to take after Riddick had attacked him. 

One minute he was pounding away at Toni, the next he found himself staring down the business end of a 12 gauge pulse rifle. Miriam Gonzalez smiled an evil little smile as she noticed his reaction to the situation.

Slowly he straightened away from Toni's sobbing body. Not brave enough to even reach down to pull up the pants pooling around his ankles.

"What the fuck you doing Gonzalez?! You and me have a deal. I gave you Riddick! You got no call coming back here...pulling on me! Shit!...you owe me part of the reward!" The words were a bluff. Burt Leffner knew he wasn't the most brilliant of human's, but even he recognized a double cross when he saw one. Shit, he'd pulled plenty of them to identify the scent. Unfortunately, he wasn't used to being on the receiving end of them.

The only chance he had was to keep her talking until he could get the gauge away from her.

Good thing she didn't look like she was in any hurry. She was calm enough. Almost a scary kind of calm. It didn't add up with the condition of her kisser. Someone had worked her over. Leaving bruises on her throat. 

Miriam Gonzales glanced down at the pathetic piece of flesh that was Burt Leffner's penis and wondered how any woman, even a teen-ager could let such a sorry excuse of a man use her. The disgust with Toni made her plans just that much more easier to implement. 

"Let's just say I need something you've got," she said.

Leffner saw the look she'd given his pride and joy, but somehow he doubted that she was referring to it. Actually, he had no idea what she was talking about. But he got the feeling he wasn't supposed to. It was all some big joke between she and herself. He had a sneaky suspicion him ending up dead was the punch line.

But with her pointing a pistol in his face he had little choice but to play along. Fucking bitch! He'd make sure she got hers before this was done!

He smiled to show he would play like a good little boy, "Oh yeah? What's that?"

Her gaze shifted to Toni lying on the sorry excuse for a mattress. Half naked and beat nearly senseless. 

She smiled the scary little smile once again and said, "Her."

Whatever Leffner had expected, it hadn't been that.

What the Hell would she want with Toni? Not that he gave a flying rats ass one way or the other. The little ragger was his own piece of property. No way was he going to let Miriam have her! He wasn't done having his fun yet.

But he couldn't tell her to go fuck herself with a gun in his face.

He figured it would be better to make a joke of it. Get her relaxed enough to snatch the gauge away from her.

"You like the weak ones too, huh? Didn't think your tastes ran that way. But hey, I don't care. Whatever gets you off...so to say," he said with a sickening smile.

Gonzalez didn't even blink when he made his little joke. It seemed whatever patience she had for the situation had come to an abrupt end.

He saw his fate a second before her finger tightened.

Cowardice saved his life. His body turning away to run as she pulled the trigger. 

The blast caught him in his lower shoulder. Knocking him to the floor on his knees. Leaving him in a shock induced calm. He waited for the finishing blow but it never came. Gonzalez must be distracted by the now screaming Toni. Forced out of her stupor by the sound of the roaring gun.

Quickly grasping his chance, he let his body fall hard to the floor. Making sure his face was turned towards the center of the room where the two women were. Hoping it convinced the merc into believing that if not dead already, he was well on his way. 

Evidently it worked. Because all she did was nudge him roughly with the tip of the gauge. Careful not to flinch as the metal poked into his bleeding and torn flesh.

Keeping his eyes closed in his death play, he heard Toni go from the whimper's she had subsided into, back into screaming.

Taking a chance, he opened his eyes to a slit. 

The mercenary had taken Toni by the top of the hair. Pulling her terrified face close to her calm visage.

"Shut up! NOW!"

The utter hatred of the voice had worked a silencing magic on the traumatized girl. Gulping back tears and the screams that lodged in her tormented throat.

"You do what I say, when I say, or you buy it right here and right now. And before you pull that 'Poor-little-suicidal-me' crap with me, let me tell you that I'll make you suffer so much before you die that I'll make your dead step-daddy here look like an angel. There's death and then there's death. Got me?!"

Toni nodded as much as the cruel hand holding her hair would let her. For once finding something worse to fear than Leffner.

Gonzales had studied the petrified girls face for a moment before speaking, "Fine. Get up."

Releasing her hair, she had grabbed Toni's arm and hauled her to her feet. Ushering her from the dive without a backward glance.

Leffner waited a few minutes to make sure the merc wouldn't come back. Then dragging himself up he used a cloth lying on the floor, a pair of Toni's leggings, to bind his shoulder. He would get it taken care with a Ravi Knitter later. Have to think up some believable bullshit for the med-tech's though.

At that moment, finding out what Gonzales was up to was more important. She had tried to screw him out of his half of the Riddick reward. Much like he had planned on screwing her. By killing her. But the bitch hadn't counted on his survival instincts. Or his greed and thirst for revenge.

Once he was sure he had stopped the bleeding, he set out to find the merc and Toni. Swallowing a handful of illegal Starzers to keep him on his feet, he threw on his heavy work overalls to cover his blood stained clothes.

Even though he'd been slowed down by injury, it wasn't too hard to figure the way. A trail of urine, apparently from a terrified Toni, made it easy to follow at a safe distance. He even got lucky for the fact that she hadn't taken any lifts up or down. Though going down wasn't too likely. They were on one of the lowest floors of the station. Both in actuality and socially. 

He'd been so intent on following the trail that he almost gave himself away when he came upon the two suddenly. Quickly he pulled back to a safe distance. The merc was holding a shaking Toni brutally by the upper arm while buzzing the door to a dump much like Leffner's. The big gauge wasn't in sight so he figured it was hidden under the long, gray coat Gonzalez was wearing.

No sooner had the thought crossed his mind when the merc shuffled back from the door. Bringing the gun out of hiding and leaving a quivering Toni in between her and the door. The muzzle of the pistol jabbing the girl in the back. Letting her know that escape wasn't an option. Leffner doubted the little coward had the guts to even think about it.

He wasn't too surprised when Riddick had answered the door. His capture and/or death being the merc's single minded goal. Leffner figured that was where the merc had been heading with Toni. Use the girl as pity bait. What he couldn't figure out was why Riddick was down in the bowels of the station and not in the comfy apartment of that Cholena cow. 

Gonzalez must have done a number on them. Splitting them up to conquer. He'd almost felt a glimmer of admiration for the cunt.

And for Riddick.

The man was a real piece of work. He leaned with crossed arms against the door jamb. Not a flick of an eyelash as he'd stared at the smug mercenary and the terrified teenager. He just stood there. Waiting for whatever shit came down. One cool mother fucker.

Leffner was too far away to understand what Gonzalez was saying to Riddick. But whatever it was it didn't seem to impress the big man a whole Hell of a lot. He just stood there as if made of stone.

Until the gun blast.

It tore through Toni's back and sent her body slamming into Riddick's. Driving the escapee back into the dark apartment.

"Son of a bitch!", he whispered at the sight of the carnage being unleashed by the unbalanced mercenary.

Leffner had no doubt that Toni was dead. He was upset at losing his own private punching bag and whore, but an even bigger worry was what attention the shot would bring. What was the crazy bitch thinking?!

The hallway outside of the apartment had been deserted. And evidently shotgun discharges in this part of the station were status quo. Not even the authorities wanted to deal with this place unless absolutely necessary. Probably would've only come if the explosion was in danger of compromising the hull integrity. But since it's force went through Toni, and not a bulk head, no automatic warning sensors went off.

Leffner turned back from his search for approaching people just in time to see Gonzalez walk into the apartment. Gun at the ready. 

The door closing quickly behind her. A bleak, clean gray in the middle of the of the blood splattered wall.

He waited for ten minutes to see if any more gunshots rang out. But there was nothing. It made sense though. The merc would want to take Riddick alive if possible. Mucho more reward that way. Fine with him. Meant an even bigger piece of the pie for him. Once he figured out how to get it.

Moving to the next and closer alley way, he tried to get his blood deprived brain to think of a way to use the situation to his advantage. But nothing was coming to swiftly. Nothing except the stink of sweat and the nausea of his traumatized flesh.

His plotting was interrupted by the arrival of a taxi-lift. That in itself was an amazing sight. Not too many drivers would come that far down in the bowels of the station. Too dangerous for too little money. Someone must've had to offer a shitload of credits to get him down there. 

The questions was which "someone." 

His money was on Riddick.

He would've lost.

Thirty seconds after the driver sounded the horn, the merc opened the door and shoved Riddick out with the gauge to his back. Hooded, with his arms tied behind his back and his ankles in chains. Probably had a bit in his mouth too, but the dark cover hid it.

How the hell had she done it?! 

He seemed unsteady on his feet. Either he was hurt from the kid's body colliding with his, or, the more likely scenario since Leffner couldn't imagine Riddick being too impacted by the collision, he'd been drugged. The bitch would've had to move quick to get the killer doped up. She was even better than Leffner had given her credit for. Or luckier.

Gonzalez had entered into a bit of arguing with the driver after she told him to take them to the docks. The guy obviously smart enough not to like the look of the situation. His eyes jerking back and forth between the walls dripping with fresh blood on either side of the dwelling door and the merc.

Even the glare of an obviously pissed mercenary couldn't overcome the danger of transporting a large-bodied, obviously dangerous criminal. He wasn't going to take the fare. Not unless there was a hell of a lot more money involved.

But it lasted less than two minutes. Greed winning out over common sense when the merc coughed up more credits out of her coat pocket. Roughly pushing Riddick into the back of the cab. The merc following, the gun aimed on him at all times.

They took off down the concourse.

Never noticing the swarthy skinned, sickly man in the alley across the street. Leffner knew where they were going now.

And it gave him an idea.


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 14

At the dock she clocked in, letting George, her worthless supervisor, have his pound of flesh for being late. But it didn't last too long since they were so busy and secretly he was grateful she showed up at all. She was one of his more reliable workers in a field that didn't exactly attract the good ones.

An hour into Zar's shift she knew she had made the right decision in coming to the dock. The work took her mind off Richard at least some of the time.

But an uncomfortable feeling of being watched kept sliding over her skin. It wasn't a caress as when Richard had done it. Rather it had an oily, evil feel. Looking carefully around she saw nothing out of the ordinary. Neither did she see anyone standing and staring.

She went back to working. Shrugging off the feeling. Putting it down to missing Richard's comforting, big presence in her life. Reminded once again of all the good things he had brought to her.

She was working the last ten lines of the unloading dock. Coming soon to the last line of rolling anti-grav belts. Turning to head back to the first of her lines to start over, the watched feeling came back stronger than ever.

A chill made it's way down her spine, bringing her to a stop. Every nerve in her body was screaming a warning. But she vowed to ignore her overactive imagination. Promising herself that she would not turn back into the woman left for dead on Jessup 3.

She was just missing Richard. She'd just have to learn to take care of herself. It had been her way of life before he'd come along, it would become her way of life again. It just took a little practice.

Resolutely ignoring her obviously muddled instincts, she was unprepared for the dirty hand that grabbed her around her mouth and brought her flush up against a man's chest. Dragging her into a dimly lit service tunnel just barely tall enough to let a man walk through.

The hand smelled of grease and sweat and blood, making her gag reflexively. The pressure it was exerting scoring and tearing the soft tissue of her lips. The stomach turning odor brought a memory racing back through her mind. She knew that miasma. It had been in her rooms. On Richard's clothes. 

LEFFNER!

Terror ran through her veins at being in the hands of the man who had done so much evil to her family. But anger soon took over. 

Releasing his hand that she had reflexively grabbed, she brought her elbow up and then back in a lightening jab. Catching Leffner in his soft belly. Not willing to rely on one blow, she brought her work-boot laden foot down on his instep.

Damned if she'd be raped and murdered without a fight!

The knowledge that Richard wouldn't be coming to her rescue added desperation to her fight. The sound of Leffner's pain-filled grunts giving her satisfaction and motivation to keep up the attack.

Leffner was getting pissed. Well, more pissed than he already had been. He had wasted a pain filled half-hour making his way to where he thought he knew Gonzalez had a transport docked. Now he was short of breath, the Stargazers were already wearing off and his legs were slowly becoming numb. The analgesic effect of the shock of the gauge blast to his back was lessening. His body telling him he was hurt worse than originally thought.

By the time he'd found a hiding place among the docks bustling drop loads, live shipments and transfers he knew he was too weak to carry out what he'd planned.

Then he'd seen the Cholena woman. And another idea took form. He'd use her to get help and raise the alarm. If he couldn't get the reward for the capture of Richard B. Riddick, then that bitch wouldn't either. Once the authorities on Polaris found out that the infamous killer was alive and hiding out on their station, they wouldn't want to let him go. The bureaucracies of government and the penal system bogging down any attempt Gonzalez made to high-tail it out. It would likely take weeks, if not months, for the go-ahead to transport Riddick to Slam City to come through.

Hopefully by that time he'd be on his feet and could lay claim (legally at that...what a laugh!) to his portion of the reward.

Gathering up his last bit of once formidable strength, he'd made a grab for Zar. But being used to women like Helen and Toni, he wasn't expecting her to put up such a determined fight. She was inflicting some pain. Sapping his already steadily declining strength.

"Stop it, you fat bitch! I'm not going to hurt you if you do what I tell you!"

She didn't believe him for a minute. Knowing this was the man who had raped and probably murdered Toni and her mother, threatened Hill and beat Audrey. His words did nothing but add fuel to her fire. Making her elbows, feet and hands punch and kick any flesh they could come in contact with. Desperation added force behind her hits. Zar knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that being alone with Leffner was the equivalent of a death sentence.

But strength giving desperation was promptly sliding into strength sapping panic. She knew she had to get the upper hand quickly or Leffner would be in control. 

The ramifications of his winning whipped visions of rape and assault through her mind. Zar felt the trembling induced by terror begin to spread through out her body. No matter how much she struggled he seemed to be able to keep her in check. Soon she would tire past the point of having hope to escape.

RICHARD! HELP ME!

Her mind cried for the man who had always been there. Keeping all the Leffner's and their brutality at bay. Her conscious knew he was gone and beyond helping her. But the terrified primal part of her mind searched for his with a soul deep desperation.

The world went dark for a few precious seconds. Her eyes half-closed in defeat. Sure death was only a few steps from her.

Then HE was there. 

In her mind.

And she in his.

She felt the blindfold covering his eyes. The harsh light of an overhead barely making its presence felt threw the thick material. A sharp pain throbbed behind his left eye, making his head ache. His hand and legs were chained. The metal digging into his wrists and ankles, rubbing the skin raw and bloody in places. The rest of his naked body bathed in frigid air. His mouth sore-covered and jaw aching from the bit jammed between his lips. She felt the cold plastic of the bench he was strapped prone to.

He'd been captured!

She felt his every pain and emotion. And she knew he was feeling hers at the same time.

HOW WAS THIS HAPPENING?! WAS this even happening?! Or was it just the despairing mind looking for a way to pull from a hidden reservoir of might?

She didn't know if the questions came from her or him.

She didn't have the time to delve into the supernatural wonderment running through her veins. 

All she knew is that it FELT like he was with her. Showing her with his mind how to fight Leffner. The thought of it filled her with a small sense of hope. 

She wasn't alone anymore.

She tried to do what he was "telling" her to do. But the fight had gone on too long and Leffner was almost in control of her hands. Tears of frustration and grief pooled in her eyes.

I CAN'T! HE'S TOO STRONG! OH MY GOD!....RICHARD!

His frustration at not being able to physically help made itself felt along her nerve endings. She could "feel" him straining against his bonds on his cold bed of plastic.

A white light flashed through her brain. Searing but not painful. Immediately the fear was replaced with calm. Weakness with power. Anger with cold determination to survive. No matter what the cost.

A fierce animal force flowed through her veins.

Her hands were moving, though she felt as if they were detached from her body. Moving in ways she had no knowledge of. Twisting, striking with lightening speed and brutal intensity, they pummeled a surprised Leffner. 

The logical part of her brain marveled at how she was doing this. The reptilian part was reveling in the power that ran through her limbs. Enjoying the sight, sound and smell of her hands bruising and ripping the flesh and bone of one detested. One who had held her in terror only moments before. Feeling more focused than she ever had in her entire life.

Within a minute after starting her counter-offensive, she had Leffner on the ground. Bringing him to down with a sharp kick to the knee. Following up with a stinging punch under the chin. Standing over his heaving body as he tried to rise. She noticed the blood seeping through his overalls. It seemed Leffner's sins were catching up with him big time.

Smiling as she let him rise wobbly to his knees. Then delivering a two-fisted whack to the side of his head. Sending him crashing into the wall.

His loud grunt of pain brought a deep voiced whisper of a laugh coursing through her brain. 

GOT HIM. 

Every muscle in her body screamed for her to finish the job. End the threat once and for all.

Moving with an alien grace she could feel and luxuriate in, she approached Leffner with a cold glint of determination in her eyes. Eyes she suspected she wouldn't recognize if she looked into a mirror at that exact moment.

Leffner saw it and knew she was coming in for the kill. And he knew he was helpless against her. It hadn't started out that way. He'd been about the get control over the bitch when she went wacko on him. Turning into a miniature Riddick. Now his strength was totally gone. He couldn't win with his fists. He scrambled desperately to give her a reason to keep him alive. 

Raising his hands to protect his face he screamed out his only trump card, "She has him! A merc's got your man! If you kill me you'll never find where he is!"

Zar stopped her advance. Caught up in horror at the confirmation of her fears that Riddick had been captured. It hadn't been just her imagination.

The "presence" briefly caressed her mind before sliding away to nothingness.

Bending towards Leffner and grabbing him by the shirt, she brought his face mere inches from hers. His odor of blood, body odor, sweat and evil making her swallow her bile in disgust. Tramping it down to keep him from seeing the weakness.

"Where is he?!"

"She's got him on her transport."

"Who?!"

"Some mean as shit bitch. Goes by the name Miriam Gonzalez."

Zar's mind raced with the implications of Leffner's information. Miriam Gonzalez, Miri Lopresso. Too much of a coincidence!

But she had to be sure. Going off on a wild goose chase wouldn't help Richard.

"What does she look like?"

Leffner had enough asshole left in him to give Zar a smirk before answering. Smiling lewdly he said, "Oh, I'm sure you know what she looks like. She found Riddick living in the shit hole of the station. Kinda looked like she did a number on you two. What'd she do? Fuck him six ways from Sunday? Make you look like the pathetic cow you are?"

She didn't raise to the bait. Taking into consideration the source. 

"Where are they?"

"Huh! Wouldn't you like to know?! You get me some med help and you and me can work out some kinda deal. Otherwise your man's a past tenser. You know what she'll do to him. Have a little fun with him before he reaches Slam. She blew Toni to fucking pieces! Not that the little whore didn't deserve it. But that should've been my call, not hers. You really want to take that chance?"

A quick flash of sadness washed through her at the verification of Toni's end. 

Then Zar looked into the eyes of a very stupid, very evil human being. 

And they thought RIDDICK was the abomination?!

She knew Leffner had only the vaguest idea of where Miri had taken Richard. It had to be around these docks somewhere otherwise he wouldn't have been here. He was just trying to buy his life, and get some of the reward she knew was surely on Riddick's head. Zar had no doubt that was his ultimate goal.

She had no use for him.

"You know what Leffner, you're bullshitting me. I bet you haven't the faintest idea where they are. So I have no need for you. In fact, you're a hindrance. I should kill you here and now. Get you out of my and Riddick's way. Hell, I bet even Miri would thank me for that, wouldn't she? I know Toni and her mom and Hill and Audrey would."

She knew the remark hit home in the flare of hatred in his eyes.

"Fuck you cunt!"

And then she knew what she had to do. Strangely she felt no regret.

This must be how Richard felt when he killed. Survival of the fittest...and those most willing to whatever was needed to survive. No time for mercy, no thought of the consequences on ones soul. Just do what needed done. Deal with it later.

"Ha! Fuck me Leffner? No. No. You fucked yourself."

She spoke the words quietly. Abruptly letting go of his shirt, watching him fall to his hands and knees at the loss of her support.

Backing away towards the service tunnels doorway.

"Hey! Where you going?! Get me some fucking help!"

"It'll be a long time before they find you here. They hardly ever use this tunnel. There's no com station, the noise outside will drown your screams. You don't have the strength to make it to next door, half a mile down the tunnel. You'll die alone, slowly. I'll make sure Riddick knows that when I find him."

"NO!!! DON'T LEAVE ME! FOR GOD'S SAKE...DON'T..."

She stepped outside the tunnel and flashed her hand over the door control. Watching expressionlessly as the door closed with a quiet whoosh. Leffner's screams abruptly cut off in mid-yell. 


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15 

CHAPTER 15

The dead seemed to whisper to him. Floating and swirling around and around.

All his victims coming back to let him know he was going to die. Soon to be their companion. And their chance for revenge.

His eyelids felt almost too heavy to lift. Managing a slow raising of them, he saw only darkness with some blurs of pinkish light that seemed so very far away. Something was over his eyes. 

He was cold. Whether from the effects of the drugs, the temperature of the room or the trauma to his body he wasn't sure. He suspected it was a little of all three. 

He'd never done well in the cold. The Profearaben making him sluggish and achy. They'd used that advantage in Slam when they felt he was getting a little too independent for his own good. Throwing him in the "freezer" then watching over the hours as his body slowly was sapped of its strength. His mind becoming foggy and dull. Making him relatively easy to handle.

Is that where he was now? He wasn't sure. Everything seemed like he was dreaming. Oh the pain was real enough. But he wasn't sure how he came to be in the state.

Had he been dreaming all this time? Was Zar real? Johns' and Caroline's death? The escape from that Hell-hole of a planet? Jack? Maybe they were. Maybe they weren't. The whispers were telling him it wasn't important anymore. Reality and dreams would soon have no significance to him. THEY would be his only concern.

Oblivion soon claimed him. He just couldn't fight it anymore.

Consciousness reclaimed him it seemed only minutes later.

Someone was talking. In a hate filled, hushed tone. But it still seemed too far away for him to hear. They were sitting on his chest. Making it hard to breathe. Something cold was being run up and down his cheek.

"Wake up Riddick." Sharp tug of the blindfold being ripped from his face.

The voice was different than the others. It had much more force and imperative behind it. Not only promising pain, but delivering it on its promise with an accompanying sting to his face.

"That's it pretty boy. Open those shining eyes for me."

Slowly he managed to lift his lids. He was in some sort of cargo hold. Light blazing pink and fuzzy white over head. The gloom surrounding it a shifting, thick gray. 

The owner of the voice was on his chest. Knees on either side of his rib cage. Squeezing the air from this lungs. For a second he thought it was Zar. Then his eyes focused better. He knew this woman. Miri Lopresso. 

"Enemy!" shouted across his hazy thoughts. Miri at the door of the dive he been using after the debacle with Zar. Flashes of Toni's eviscerated body colliding with his. Unable to stop his head from hitting the floor as he went down. Precious seconds wasted trying to get the dead girls body off of him and get his bearings. Miri with a big gauge, hitting it across his face. Leaving his neck exposed to the piercing needle delivering a Mickey. Grogginess and involuntary cooperation. Bit in mouth, chains on wrists and ankles, hood on head.

She was staring at him with a small, evil smile. 

"Welcome back lover. Missed you so much." With an almost caressing movement she slowly edged the tip of a knife down his right cheek. Scoring little droplets of blood from underneath his bottom eyelashes down to his jaw bone.

Instinctively his body thrashed to escape the wet, burning pain. But his muscles weren't listening to his brain. Or maybe they were. Considering only a half-awake mind would produce the jerky, ineffectual movements his made. Not that it would've helped a hell of a lot. He was very competently restrained. Tight chains chafing on his wrists and ankles, making a spread eagle of his naked body. The medi-band around his throat and waist. The latter ground into his stomach by the woman's thighs and crotch. 

Miri had no problem keeping her seat. 

"What's wrong Riddick? I thought you liked knives?" she said with a deceptively sweet questioning grin. "Oh, that's right. You only like to be on the giving end of the blade. Not the receiving. I forgot about that. So sorry."

Even with foggy brain and hampered eyes, he could see the light of sick humor change to deranged anger as she leaned to within an inch of his face. 

"Is that how you killed Johns?"

Riddick?! Johns?! She knew his real name! How the hell did a greedy slut like Miri Lopresso know about a dirty mercenary like William Johns. Other than avarice, they didn't seem the type to have much in common. And how did she know that he knew Johns? Much less killed him. It didn't add up. Something wasn't getting through to his drugged mind. 

Then it hit him. She was a merc herself. He'd heard, during one of his escapes, that Johns was known to hang with a kick-ass looking female merc that could be even meaner than the both of them put together.

He'd been too stupid and too horny to see it for himself. His instincts had let him down. She'd run a game on him and Zar. A game he should've seen a mile away. If he hadn't been thinking with his dumb lower head instead of instinctive top one. 

Baby, his ass. But it had done the job. Separating him from everything he held dear and anyone likely to give a shit if he suddenly disappeared. 

No, truth be told, he'd let his instincts down. Letting them rot away under the softness of Zar's hands and her compassion. Becoming relaxed and forgetting the one never ending truth of his life.

He was the hunted. 

He not only had let the merc capture him, he'd let her hurt Zar. Ruin the life of the one person in the galaxy he couldn't abide to be in pain. Driving them apart and alone. Forever. God, he missed her so much. Regretted losing the most valuable thing he'd ever possessed. The love of a good woman.

He couldn't blame Zar for letting the whole ugly episode taint her faith in him. Being basically honest with himself, he knew that faith would never have changed if he hadn't let Miri in.

Self-loathing brought the bile up into his throat. Richard B. Riddick knew he was many detestable things. But he'd never counted stupid among them.

MY, MY, THE THINGS ONE LEARNS ABOUT ONESELF WHEN ONE IS ABOUT TO DIE.

Miriam had watched the play of emotions react across the killers face. Though she had to admit at that moment he didn't look too dangerous. Oh, the huge muscles were still there. Straining under her body. But the Dormoxis had done the job well. All he'd been capable of was some useless jerking.

She relished the evident self-disgust he was experiencing in his realization that she was a merc. And that the woman he had unable to resist screwing was the same woman who destroyed his life and the life of the woman he cared for. 

His worst nightmare come true. His body and life in the hands of a merc

after all this time free. And this time there was no escaping. Vengeance was hers.

"Well? Is it? Did you cut him? I'm betting you did. It being your modus 

operandi and all."

The woman had a jones and a half for finding out about how Johns died. Maybe he could use that against her. Because she obviously wasn't the type to make mistakes on her own. She'd planned his downfall perfectly. Playing stupid with her would just make her laugh. He'd have to make her angry to the point of doing something foolish.

His baritone made even deeper by the enforced stupor, he spit at her face, "Fuck you Miri! What are you trying to do?! Talk me to death?"

Her eyes momentarily blazed white hot with rage then just as quickly calmed down.

"Wrong Riddick. The name's not Miri. It's Miriam. Gonzalez. And your little tactic of making the attacker make a mistake won't work here. I've studied you too well and too long to let you get the upper hand that easy. How did you think I was able to get to you so easily? Poor Zar, not doing to well these days I hear. Looked real bad the last time I checked on her. Missing her piece of meat I'm sure. Maybe I should be merciful and put her out of misery."

Miriam watched Riddick's go blank. A sure indication that she had gotten to him. Only someone who had studied Richard B. Riddick would know that sign.

A small laugh accompanied the knowing taunt, "She's still important to you. Even though she dropped you like you had the plague after hearing my joyous news. Seems like she didn't believe in your 'rehabilitation' as much as the both of you thought, huh? But I don't imagine you were too surprised. You and I both know you don't deserve to have what other people do. You're a piece of dog shit that God forgot to scrape off his shoe.

But don't worry love, I don't have the time to mess with ugly cows. But if I did it would be to show you that there's nothing you can do to me that I can't do double to you. Or yours.

So, once again. The question is how did you kill William Johns?"

He was beginning to respect the merc. She was much harder, and smarter, than Johns. Willing to do whatever was needed to get the job done. Including fucking the mark. Killing the innocent.

Much like himself actually. The old Riddick would've relished getting to "know" her better. The new one just wanted her to kill him and get it over with. 

He was getting tired of it all.

Fate had finally won. 

He'd always suspected that he'd cheated Fate the night he'd been found in the trash bin. He'd been cheating it ever since. He'd been meant to die. Some philosopher whose name he couldn't remember, said that you couldn't cheat Fate for long. It always caught up with you. Usually when you allowed yourself to hope and were least expecting it. 

Riddick had lived his life with that advice in mind for most of his years. Then one small woman with a heart as large as a star had made him doubt all of his beliefs. Made him think that maybe Fate could be cheated.

Fate was a bitch named Miriam Gonzalez. And it was time to give Fate her due.

Slowly he let the old Riddick smile spread on his face. The one that initially pissed people off then made them seriously think about a change of location.

"I fucked his rank ass to death! Piece of shit didn't have a lot of balls. It didn't take much to make him squeal and beg. Had the nerve to bleed all over my dick. Wasn't such a Billy Bad-ass after all was he? Kinda disappointed me, ya know?"

Nostrils flaring, face red with rage, Miriam screamed as she raised the knife above her head. Preparing to sink the six inch blade in between Riddick's eyes.

But she saw the triumph in the silvery orbs. She would be giving him exactly what he wanted. Her out of control and him out of his misery. It wasn't going to end that easily for him. Not by a long shot.

Gathering her strength and forcing calm over her furious mind she brought the knife down to his chest. Making small slices. Just deep enough to burn and bleed. 

Raising her gaze to his face she wanted to see his pain. But all she saw was the triumph coming from his eyes. Those damnable eyes!

Those. Eyes.

Riddick had barely felt what amounted to pinpricks. He'd been through much worse. And he had felt triumph as he saw her raise the knife above her head. It would all be over in seconds.

The her face had changed dramatically as she had stared at his eyes.

Becoming as triumphant as his.

"You have the most extraordinary eyes Riddick. They really make you so much scarier looking. I wonder what you looked like before you had them 'shined'?"

Something uneasy washed over him as she waved the blade dangerously close to his eyes. She had passed some threshold. Pushed over by his lying taunt about Johns' demise.

Miriam Gonzalez smiled down into the face of the human she hated most in the known galaxy. He'd taken her man, her highly prized self-control, her sanity. He'd been living the fine life. Fucking some wimpy bitch and playing family man with two snot noses.

While she'd been forced to go on without Johns. Backing away from the edgy merc had only been temporary, she told herself. Riddick killing him had made her decision permanent.

He deserved to pay for making her the lonely, regretful, bitter woman she'd become.

But no matter what she did to him, he wouldn't break. 

He thought himself some sort of psychotic superman.

He needed to be taught a lesson.

He needed to see the error of his ways.

"I wonder what you'd look like without them?"

He watched helplessly as the blade whipped towards his left eye. A painful death was about to be visited on him. A death well deserved he felt. He knew. 

Still his mind and heart cried out for his salvation. His unmerited, never ending river of peace and joy. To save his soul, if not his life.

ZAR!!!


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

Zarifa Cholena approached her apartment door and paused. She stared at the door, knew it was a door, but she wasn't seeing a door.

What she was seeing was the end of her way of life.

This would probably be the last time she ever walked into the place she had called "home" for over five years.

After leaving Leffner for dead, (funny how little that bothered her), she'd checked on the status of Miriam Gonzalez' ship. Astounded, but grateful, when she learned that it was still moored in the loading dock.

Nonetheless, the hairs on the back of her neck rose as she contemplated why the merc hadn't left Polaris Station yet. Remembering the brutal description of Riddick's capture that Leffner had so enjoyed telling her, she had to accept that there was a very good chance the man she loved could be close to death. 

The ethereal episode in the service tunnel, where their minds had touched, kept replaying in her thoughts. He'd seemed weak and in pain. And hopeless.

But if The Hollerste, the merc's ship, was still on the station, she couldn't abandon hope herself.

Not that she rated her chances against the brutal mercenary as anything higher than a snowballs in Hell. The only real "qualification" she saw herself as having was the ability to survive deadly situations. And if she was honest, each time had probably been more a case of luck.

Richard would've moved Heaven and Earth to help her. Zar figured she would have to give up Heaven and Earth to save him.

She'd have to cut Audrey and Hill loose. It made her gut burn in regret, but she couldn't see any other way. If Richard was alive, and they managed to escape from the merc's ship, they would have to high tail it off the station. Not sure if Miriam had already notified Slam City of her prize or not. Polaris Station would not be safe. Even if they killed her.

All she could do would be to send them to Imam on New Mecca. She and Richard had kept in touch with him off and on since he'd left the station. He was the kindest man she had ever met. And he loved Audrey almost as much as Richard did. Zar had no doubt that he'd welcome the baby also. 

She was right. Contacting him from the loading dock, she had quickly told him everything. Then begged him to help her by taking in the two kids. He hadn't hesitated a second. Just told her to put them on the next transport out. He would meet them come Hell or high water. He'd treat them like they were his own for as long as they were with him. Even if it was forever. Zar had broken down in tears at the gentle cleric's generosity and kindness. There'd been so little of it in her life lately.

She had finished off the communication with the name of the ship she was going to book for Audrey and Hill, plus their arrival date and time. 

And asked for him to pray for her and Richard.

It went against every bone in her body to abandon the girl and the baby. She had promised herself numerous times that the children who'd become her own, would never face danger at her hands. That she would die before letting any more harm come to them. But the fact remained that there was no one else to help Richard. If he was still alive, she would rescue him or die trying. 

First she had to make sure The Hollerste couldn't take off. That was solved with some confusing and contradictory orders she put into the loading mainframe. Whenever Miriam did request permission to depart, it would set off an almost never ending loop of confounding program directives. 

It would take hours for the operators to make sense of it. And more importantly, until they had it figured out, they were not allowed to release the ship. A hard and fast rule that the Station vigorously enforced. No one left Polaris until all the P's and Q's were correct. 

The Hollerste grounded, Zar knew she had to take the time to let Audrey know the situation.

So she now found herself staring at the door of the place that had shown her safety, love, the fever of lust, the once thought unrepeatable joy of motherhood. 

There was no one to blame for the things she was about to give up. She'd known from very early on in their relationship exactly who and what Richard B. Riddick was. And though she was a naturally optimistic person, a tiny part of her had always known that her life would never be the same after he came. There would be good, and there would most definitely be bad. She just hadn't known the sacrifice would be this big. This painful. A sacrifice that went against the very grain of her soul. 

Taking a deep breath, she passed her hand in front of the door sensor and entered the opened portal.

The dining area was empty, but she heard Jack making nonsense noises that only babies seemed to understand. She must be in Hill's room. Changing or playing with him.

Zar closed her eyes and inhaled deeply of the scents that pervaded the apartment. The unique smell of infant. Leftover odors of cooking from many family meals. 

Richard's own personal smell. Masculine and tangy, it marked the rooms and all who lived within its walls, as his. Made up from a variety of sweaty activities. Honest hard work, strength gifting body building, deep, primal, soul capturing sex. And the subtler aroma of worry for those he cared about.

Would she breathe these scents ever again? Only God knew.

Opening her eyes she found Audrey standing in the doorway. An almost adult look of fatality on her face. She obviously sensed that her life was about to change in a very major way.

"What is it?!"

There was little benefit in sugar coating the ugly facts.

"Richard's been taken by a mercenary. Her name's Miriam Gonzalez. Leffner led her to him. He's not a threat anymore, by the way. And Audrey, I'm sorry sweetie, but Toni is dead. Gonzalez murdered her to get to Richard. 

She's the...uh... woman you saw in here a few days ago. The one Richard kicked out. He didn't know that she was a merc. No one knew..."

Jack's stricken eyes shifted to the floor. "He kinda told me that he wasn't totally kosher. But....I never thought..."

Zar tiredly rubbed her face tiredly while replying. "I know, I know. We deliberately kept his past from you. It was safer for you that way."

"What'd he do?"

Zar stared at the teen-ager for almost a minute. Weighing the wisdom, considering fairness. 

Fuck it, the kid had a right to know. It was her life getting screwed up the behind as much as any ones.

"His real name is Richard B. Riddick. He's an escapee from Slam City. And there's a very high price on his head."

"Riddick? I've heard that name before..." Zar knew the instant Audrey made the connection. Her expression became a mixture of amazement, horror and disbelief.

"The psychopath?! The one that likes to slice people up?! Wait a minute! You're telling me HE was on the Hunter-Gratzner?! And he rescued me?! 

This doesn't make sense! Why would a murderer save the life of some kid? Why would he stay here with us?"

"I know what kind of rep he has, kid. But take my advice, don't believe everything you're told or hear. He isn't the madman the ASF made him out to be. The character assassination was done for their profit. And though he has killed, there were extenuating circumstances. Well...most of the time."

Zar realized she was coming close to making excuses for him. He'd admitted to the things he'd done freely, if regretfully. But that had been the old Richard. Before he'd grabbed at the chance of redemption Carolyn Fry's death had provided. 

"Take my word. He's a different man. A man very worthy of our love. And a man who shouldn't be handed over to any merc or prison. As far as I'm concerned, he's paid his dues. Before you get too horrified about who you've been living with, remember how he's saved your life a number of times. How the very attributes that have you cringing in terror, also made him the man that let him protect all of us from Leffner. And the other pieces of shit that have tried to hurt us! You know as well as I do, kid, that the galaxy is not a very nice place. 

He loves you! And me. And even Hill. That's why he stayed. He could've left after dumping you and Imam off here. Instead he's tried to make a life here with us. A life he never thought he'd have. His childhood sucked in a big way. The time he's had with us is the only time in his life he's ever been loved."

Tears welled up in Zar's eyes as she looked beseechingly into Audrey's increasingly softening face. "I can't let him go back to Slam, Audrey. He'd rather be dead than have this taste of freedom, and happiness, then be thrown back into that Hell hole. They'll torture him, use him, have him turn back into the killer they created, then dispose of him like he was a rotten piece of garbage when he's no longer useful."

Watching Zar's face, Audrey could not deny the love the older woman had for Richard. If someone like Zar loved him, he couldn't be the monster the galaxy had been led to believe.

Besides, Zar was right, Richard had been the best thing ever in Audrey's life. She never remembered feeling so loved and safe as she had in this place. Part of that was due to Zar. But the majority of it had to be credited to Richard. Motherly love and support meant a lot. But in Audrey's world, the ability to be protected meant even more. The logical part of her brain couldn't reconcile the psychopathic killer with the loving, if brooding, man who'd been there for her all this time. One of the images was wrong. 

Her gut told the killer reflection was not the legitimate Richard.

"Okay. So what do we do? Is he still on Polaris?"

Zar smiled at the girl's acceptance of her defense of Richard. She never ceased to stop amazing her.

"Yeah, he's still here. I've grounded Miriam's ship. She'll have to go through a mountain of red tape before they let her off the station.

And 'we' aren't doing anything. I am. You and Hill are going to get out of harms way. I'm sending you to New Mecca to Imam. The two of you will be safe there with him. I know you don't remember him, but take my word for it. He's a really good guy."

Raising her hand to forestall Audrey's coming verbal outrage Zar said, "Audrey...Jack...I don't know if I can save him. And even if I do, we can't stay here. I NEED to know that you and the baby are safe. I can't do what I have to do and still be worried about you. We have to create a whole new life. Away from here. Please...please, understand. And forgive me for doing this to you. But I can't lose you or Hill like I did Beth."

Audrey swallowed hard at the desperately pleading look on Zar's face. She realized Zar thought she was probably not going to be able to save Richard. In fact, she'd probably die in the attempt.

Looking around at the dining area she saw ghosts of the past year. The family meals, the petty arguments every cohabiting group had. The times she had walked in on Richard passionately kissing Zar. The love between the two filling the room up with it's own glow. Falling softly on everyone within it's reach. 

She remembered the day she had brought Toni and Hill home. Knowing the big man with the cold face would stand between them and the evil that was their life. Now that man was at the mercy of a merc due to him extending his protection to them. Surely to be thrown back into a pit of torture and despair that would break him. Kill him. 

She remembered the tears and grief of a heart broken woman realizing the man she loved had betrayed their commitment to each other. And still went on loving him. Enough so that she would rip apart everything she held dear to try and save him from a past that had finally caught up with him.

Zar had provided her with a home, a family, a safe haven unlike any she had ever known. Audrey guessed it was her growing older that made her able to understand what Zar had to do. Not that she liked being dumped on a stranger. But she just didn't have the heart to make it even harder on her.

She knew she would be more of a hindrance than help in Zar's rescue attempt. And even after learning his true identity, she desperately wanted Richard safe. 

Choking back tears she went to Zar. Hugging her fiercely, she felt Zar's anguish and dread as she hugged her back. "Do whatever you need to do. Hill and I will be fine with Imam. But promise me, if you two do manage to make it out, that you'll come find us someday. When it's safe enough."

"Yes, I promise! I know this is so unfair Audrey! You and Hill don't deserve this. But there's no one else to help."

Disengaging herself from the embrace, Zar wiped softly at the teenager's wet face. "Go pack some things for you and Hill. I have some credits for you to travel with. And to help Imam support the two of you."

Zar smiled slightly, "When I talked to him, told him what was going on, then told him I was sending you and a baby to him, he didn't blink an eye. I've met a lot of so called 'holy' people. They're usually hypocrites and petty hearted liars. But he's the real thing Audrey. And do me a favor, take it easy on him. Try not to get in trouble for at least a little while. Okay?"

Smiling back, Audrey bent her forehead to rest lightly on Zar's. Jeeesh, when had she grown taller than the older woman? Audrey had always thought she only looked that way next to Richard's massiveness. But for all her plumpness, Zar really was a tiny woman.

Apprehension made Audrey shiver as the enormity of what Zar was going to attempt finally got through her grief stricken brain. How could this one, untrained, diminutive person expect to take on the ASF and a merc?!

Her voice wobbling, she begged Zar, "I promise to try and stay out of trouble. But Zar...be careful! Please!"

"I promise to try also. But...Audrey...don't expect...I mean..." She had to take a couple of deep breaths to steady herself. "Hell, let's get this show on the road. I don't have a lot of time."

Audrey sped back to her room. Soon the sound of drawers opening and closing filtered out into the dining area. 

In the meantime, Zar searched out for the hiding places where Richard had kept some weapons. She had hated the fact there were firearms in the apartment with the kids. It had caused a week's worth of tears and fighting, begging him to get rid of the weapons. But he'd been unmovable. History teaching him the risks to the children being far less that the risk of being unprepared. Zar had violently disagreed. Visions of curious faces and reaching hands finding the dangerous weapons. 

But she'd been with him long enough to realize he would not budge on this issue and for peace's sake had let it drop. On one condition. That only the two of them would know about it. He'd agreed. 

Gingerly lifting the pulse pistol from it's resting place behind the headboard, she made a note to tell him he'd been right. But she still didn't believe in weapons and kids being in the same home.

Ten minutes later she met Audrey and the crying Hill in the dining area. The baby obviously felt the anxiety and sorrow pervading the hurried evacuation of the apartment.

Zar took him from Audrey and rocked him gently. Not letting herself contemplate the fact that she probably would never hold him again. Kissing his smooth head she handed him back to Audrey.

"Take care of him. And yourself. Always remember that Richard loves you, I love you. No matter what. We'll always be with you in memory if not in body."

Gulping past the tears lodged in her throat, Audrey replied, "I will. I promise, I won't forget. And I won't let Hill forget either. Thank you Zar, for everything. And I love you too. Tell Richard that I love him. And I refuse to believe that we'll never see each other again. I KNOW it won't end that way!"

Impulsively Audrey hugged Zar, still holding the baby. The feeling of loss was almost overpowering.

"Let's go sweetie."

Abruptly Zar turned away so that the girl would not see her growing certainty that it would be less of a rescue mission and more of a mercy killing / suicide. She doubted Miriam was a sloppy merc. She wouldn't be alive if she was. The chances of getting Richard out were slim to none.

So that meant the only thing Zar could hope for was to keep Richard from ever reaching Slam. Killing him here, mercifully, would be what he would want over going back to that place. The merc would probably take her life in payment. She didn't want to even contemplate the chance of being captured, tried and jailed. Zar had stared Death in the face three other times. It held little fear for her. But how she and Richard died could at least be in her control. 

They'd go out together.


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

The rooms fetidness was a mixture of human body fluids...blood and vomit, excrement and urine. 

The prosaic stench of torture found in many a place of horror. 

Zar had smelled them before. Both on herself and others. It wasn't a stink one soon forgot. Because when a person was tortured, and lived through it, they never forgot the exact moment when the body's control was stripped away.

When the pain became too much, the bowels evacuated, the urethra opened and the stomach heaved. It was almost as if the body's companion liquids felt they had to follow the flowing blood. And no matter how much the person tried to get their mind past the horrific agony in an attempt to control their baser physiological functions, the flesh would not cooperate. It simply let loose.

Zar knew by the smell exactly what she would find. Richard. Maybe alive or maybe dead. Maybe alive and better off dead.

She had waited concealed for almost an hour watching Miriam's ship. Not sure if the merc had already left to try and beat some sense into the stations routing computers and personnel. 

While the interminable wait dragged on, her mind drifted. Back to the last time she remembered being happy. It was the morning before Miriam had attached the vid disc to the apartment door. Before life had become a hopeless and painful drudgery. Something she just did for the sake of the kids. When it had once been filled with so much more. 

Richard had come home late from long hours of searching for Toni and Leffner. She half remembered him slipping into bed with her. Curling around her sleepy, warm body. Taking for granted the feeling of being the most dear thing in the world to him. Expecting the security his body, and the strength it provided, to be there forever. Never dreaming that would be the last time they shared their bed in love.

She'd awoken as he brought her to climax. His flesh deeply imbedded in hers. The soft hair of his chest rubbing against her back. Breath heavy against her ear as his fingers fondled her woman's heart with tenderness and purpose. Pushing against her as she sleepily arched back with pleasure. Feeling the jump of his body as he met her in that precious and rare place where only the two of them existed.

They'd lain entwined that way for long minutes. Enjoying the elementary pleasure of togetherness. Relishing the life, and love, that was theirs. Neither had said a word. It hadn't been necessary. A simple embrace had expressed everything that needed to be communicated.

The memory had brought tears to her eyes and a restlessness to her body. Unable to sit still any longer and let the pain-filled memories lash her already bruised heart.

She'd decided Miriam had left before she got there and moved to break into The Hollerste. Walking toward the ship she had had to do some quick thinking when the mercenary had suddenly rushed out of the ship. Luckily she had kept her work uniform on and just faked checking on a pallet of goods not far from the ship. Miriam had come with in two feet of her, but obviously was too pissed to be much aware of her surroundings and the people in them. She'd passed Zar without so much as a look backwards.

Heart beating wildly at the close call, Zar had proceeded more carefully after that. Checking out her surroundings completely to make sure nothing seemed out of place or set for a trap.

Finally she'd decided it was clear and approached the main door to the ship. Using a filched dock decoder to open the portal. Holding her breath as she had stepped inside. Waiting for the telltale claxon announcing to everyone with in four floors that The Hollerste had been unlawfully breached. But thirty seconds passed and no alarm had sounded. Miriam must've figured that since she couldn't get the ship off the station, no one else could either. 

And the more disturbing thought. That Richard was not in danger of escaping. 

Her breathing and heart rate had slowed down to a somewhat more normal state.

Until she made her way to what was obviously a cargo room.

The door opened softly onto the dimly lit room. Only one set of overheads illuminated the large chamber.

Almost immediately the stench had hit her. And she'd known.

Richard was in this pit of Hell. She'd been too late.

A small part of her screamed to run from the ship. To refuse to see what she was sure was beyond the pallets of supplies and hanging tie back ropes. Knowing there was heart tearing horror and grief under the lights the glowed so softly.

But the stronger part of her refused to run. The part of her that needed to know what her new reality was no matter the cost.

Slowly she made her way around the obstacles. Clutching tightly at the traveling bag that held some credits, food and a couple changes of clothes for her and Richard. All bought and packed hurriedly after she had parted from Audrey and Hill. Done when there was still at least a tiny hope for Richard. Back before she had inhaled this foul odor of despair.

She kept her eyes on the floor defensively. Trying to soften the visual blow. 

Three feet after the last group of boxes she saw the blood. A small rivulet had snaked toward the supplies. Now it was congealing and dark. A dim part of her mind, a part that kept itself separate from the ugliness surrounding her, wondered how long it had been there before it had started to dry.

And suddenly she couldn't NOT look anymore.

Raising her eyes, she saw him.

A whispered prayer escaped with a sob as she took in the sight before her. 

PLEASE GOD! LET HIM BE DEAD!

Spread eagle on a bench, naked under the light, his hands, feet, chest and throat were restrained. Blood from around the edges of the medi-bands and chains dripped to the floor. The wounds easy to distinguish due to the deathly pallor of his skin. 

Moving closer, the shallow cuts to his chest became visible. As did the angry bruises and welts marring his body from shins to sternum. 

She finally focused on his face. Having delayed as long as possible. Knowing that it might retain the terror and pain of his last moments.

He was blindfolded with a thin, blood darkened, silky cloth that came off easily enough. Closing her eyes tightly, Zar counted to ten before finding the courage to look.

His eyes were blessedly closed. Almost looked at peace.

There was a bit in his mouth. Tightened to cause as much discomfort as possible. Small scabs crusted around his lips from the cuts it had inflicted.

Small streams of blood had dried on his cheek from shallow slices.

But a wide band still gleamed wetly from the side of his left eye.

Knowing she had to look, Zar's hand shook as she reached to gently open the lid. 

IT WAS GONE!!!

The eye had been cruelly dug from the socket. Leaving swollen, butchered flesh in it's place.

Falling to her knees in anguish, Zar retched the bile that had been sitting in the back of her throat since she'd entered the room. Adding her own smells of grief and horror to the rooms miasma. 

The sounds of her vomiting almost drowned out the small moan.

Astonishment ended her body's reaction to the sight where her own willpower hadn't been able. Shakily she wiped her mouth on her work overalls. Refusing to turn her eyes to Richard. If she looked at him, she'd have to deal with the horror of the man she loved being alive in that torturous condition. 

But the moan came again. Stronger this time. She couldn't ignore it anymore.

Unsteadily getting to her feet, she walked slowly over to him.

He was definitely alive. 

And from the increasing movements of his head and torso, coming around to consciousness soon.

The Profearaben healing him even of these hideous wounds. His stubborn, and sometimes unwanted, ability to survive the unsurvivable dragging him to the surface.

Emotions warred within her. Part of her joyful that the man she loved still lived. The other part in agony over the realization that not even death could come easy to him. For a millisecond she considered putting him out of his misery right there and then. But dismissed the thought as quickly as it had come. She just wasn't that ready to let him go.

Grabbing her bag she brought out a water canteen. Letting the water moisten and loosen the scabs around his mouth. Carefully Zar lifted his head. Disconnecting the bit cutting into his mouth. Once that was off she threw it across the room. Extending her hand slowly to touch his face.

His eyes raised at her soft touch. Revealing one shining eye and one empty and angry socket.

"Zar?"

His voice was scratchy. She suspected from the bit and the screaming he surely must've done when Miriam had broken him.

Not trusting her regular voice to get past the knot of tears that were lodged in her throat she whispered back, "Yeah, it's me." 

The tears wouldn't hold back any longer. They coursed down her face, blurring her vision. Quiet sobs slipping past her weakening control.

Unable to see clearly with just the one orb, Richard nonetheless knew what the sounds meant. He'd caused her to cry enough times to know. It wasn't hard to imagine what made her break down this time. He had a strong idea of what he looked. The cuts, bruises and various body fluids adorning his body were bad enough. But Zar had seen those on him before and would know how to cope. 

No, it was the missing shining eye that would send her over the edge into a paroxysm of crying. The site of it must be nauseating. He figured he was lucky that it didn't really hurt that much yet. Must be the shock. Still he couldn't stand the sound of her crying. But how could he ask her to stop when she had every right to cry.

He'd brought her world down around her head. She deserved to cry if that's what she needed to do. Besides, he just didn't have the energy to comfort her. It was taking all his remaining strength to put into action the plan he had. The plan that would keep her safe. Another woman was NOT going to die for him.

His eye moved around. Surveying the semi-darkness beyond the circle of light they occupied. "We still in Miriam's ship?"

Recognizing his tactic for what is was, a silent plea for her to stop, she brushed the tears off and said, "Yeah. But don't worry. I have her on a wild goose chase. She'll be gone a while."

He gave a smile and said, "That's my smart girl."

Looking around the cargo bay Zar asked, "Any idea where I can get something to cut those chains?"

"I felt you."

Whipping her head back towards him at the unexpected response she frowningly asked "What?"

"In the service tunnel...with Leffner. Did you finish him?"

"No and yes. I left him there to die. It should be over by now. But what happened, it wasn't a...I don't know, a...it wasn't me just imagining it? Richard, how'd..."

His eyelids closed wearily. "Let's forget about it for now. We've got other things to worry about."

Zar didn't want to let it go. Nothing that extraordinary had ever happened to her before. She'd never felt so....connected...to another human being. Not even her daughter.

"But did it ever happen before? It's never with me. How'd you do that?!"

Raising his lids he stared with his one remaining eye at the ceiling.

"Yeah, once before. But it's not important now. Getting you out of here is."

"Not important?! How can you say..."

"Zar, please. The Profearaben's kicked in, but it still hurts like the fuck. And Miriam will be back. She has John's instincts. She'll smell something off sooner or later. We REALLY need to get you out of here now!"

Brought back to reality at the pain in his voice, Zar felt a flicker of shame. She'd been wandering in Enchantment Land while he continued to bleed and throb in agony.

"You're right! Sorry. I'll go look for some bolt cutters." She turned away to start her search. Stopped by the sound of his voice from behind.

"Zar, hold off for a minute. Come here. Beside me."

Walking back towards him, she looked into his battered face. It held a look she'd never seen before. Even in all the time he'd spent with her, she'd never seen him at peace. But that was exactly how he looked at that minute.

A shiver of unease skittered up her spine. Something wasn't right here.

Kneeling down at his side she rested her hand on an uncut portion of his chest. Amazed at how warm he'd become in just a few minutes consciousness.

"You know she won't give up till either I'm dead or in Slam."

"It won't matter what she does once we're off Polaris."

"Yeah...it will. I'd have a one in a million chance by myself. With you and the kids it's nada. You..."

"I sent them to Imam."

Zarifa Cholena hadn't seen Richard Riddick speechless very often. More often than not, it was a mild sort of surprise he showed if anything at all. He was just too much of a self-control freak to let that kind of emotion give him away. But at her announcement his mouth fell open.

His reaction brought back the enormity of her actions. Sending away the two of the most precious beings in the galaxy to her.

Tears again gathered behind her eyes. Not wanting him to see her weak, she lowered her head.

"I knew that our chances were shitty. I didn't want them to get caught in the fallout if, and or when, things went Miriam's way."

Richard continued to stare at her for long silent moments. Trying to digest the sacrifice she'd made to try and save him. He knew exactly how much Audrey and Hill meant to her. Growing uncomfortable as he remembered the huge sacrifice of another woman who saw him as something worth saving. 

He wondered what they saw in him that made them willing to forfeit their lives and the lives of others to save him. Because he damn straight knew he wasn't worth it. He'd told himself he'd make an attempt at a different kind of life after Carolyn's gift so that her death at least meant something. Not because he really believed he could change into a decent human being.

He'd seen too many piss-poor excuses for human beings to know that just because a man walked the walk and talked the talk it automatically meant he was the real thing. It just meant he was a decent actor. Zar had made him want to be the real thing. 

But deep down he always suspected that he never quite graduated from actor to human being. Especially when he'd let Miriam in. Would a 'good' man have allowed that to happen? He doubted it. That's why he hadn't really tried his hardest to escape Miriam when she'd come for him. He'd come far enough along the human trail to realize that he deserved most of what she was dishing out. And he'd be damned if he arrived in Slam City alive. Their little plaything back for more. Death held little power over him when it was the only other option.

The only thing he feared now was getting Zar captured or killed with him. When he first became aware of her, he'd thought he died and she was an angel. But the pain was too much for Heaven. And Zar wouldn't be in Hell. So that meant that he was still alive. And a quick confirmation let him know that they were still in danger of Miriam. Which meant that Zar had to leave his worthless ass now. He wasn't going to let her go down with him. That was the only thing that could make him tremble in fear. His one weakness.

But here was this woman who truly believed she loved him. Loved him so much that she was willing to give up everything she held dear in life for the CHANCE of saving his unfaithful, fake, sorry ass.

He just couldn't fathom it. "Why?!"

Slowly raising her head she focused on his one good eye. Seeing his self-doubt in his own worth reflected back at her in his frown. Zar didn't pretend not to understand the true meaning behind his question. He was asking why she sacrificed so much for him.

Rubbing her thumb gently over his bottom lip she smiled as she replied. "Because there was no one else to help you. Because I couldn't let Miriam torture you like I knew she would. Because of when you stayed to fight Brenner when he caught us in that alley. Because of the kind of man you are. A good man, that fuck-up with Miriam not withstanding. A good father. A good friend. But most of all, because I love you. No matter what. I can survive without you. But I don't think I really want to. Even if means giving up the kids."

Slowly she lowered her lips to his. Tasting his blood and vomit. His uncertainty and self-doubt. He tasted her goodness and acceptance. Grief and fear. His lips warmed quickly under hers. And with an involuntary groan he deepened the kiss. Dueling his tongue with hers. The torture and pain fading away under the sweet flavor of one woman's undeniable love and devotion. Her hope and faith.

Breaking contact Zar moved slightly back.

"Now, are you going to let the bitch kill me or are we getting out of here? Because remember what you once told me. That no matter where death takes me you'll be right there at my side. Even if you have to fight God himself. I'm yours in life, death, whatever and wherever. Well it goes both ways. That means I stay here as long as you're here. Crazy merc or no crazy merc. 

So what's it going to be?"


	18. Chapter 18 - Final Chapter

CHAPTER 18

His fingers played softly over her hip. Mindlessly swirling the tips around in chaotic patterns. For once she was totally oblivious of the too-soft, and therefore irritating, exploration. The deep sleep of exhaustion rendering her unaware to all but her dreams.

As Richard B. Riddick stared out the port side windows, gazing at the passing stars, he thought that there really had been no other choice to make.

"So what's it going to be?" had been Zar's ultimatum to him as his broken, but rapidly healing, body lay chained at her knees. Was he going to pick life or death?

Before she had walked into that cargo room from Hell, well...the answer would've been easy. 

Death. 

Because he knew that even if he got away from Miriam this time, there would always be another day with her, or another mercenary, coming. More running, always looking over his shoulder, constant worry about endangering those he cared about. 

The good days with Zar and Audrey and Hill had out weighed the bad, but in all honesty, how many more could he expect? He'd seen Zar's face the day he'd kicked Miriam out of the apartment so brutally. In her mind he'd stepped over some invisible line. A line of behavior that she just couldn't excuse or get by. He'd always known it would come to an end sooner or later. But he hadn't expected it to hurt so fucking much. Didn't realize he had that much heart left to care. 

Now his life would consist of running from one piss hole to another. Did he even want to try? It would've been better to just end the whole thing there.

He didn't know if he could counteract the Profearaben with sheer will power alone, but if it meant ending the cosmic roller coaster ride his life had become, he was willing to give it a shot.

Then she was there. An angel in the dark and cold of Hell. 

While life had seemed more trouble than it was worth when she wasn't there, it all of sudden became more precious than gold when she was. And he wondered how could he ever give up the peace of her. The touch of her. The love of her. Even for the serenity of death.

And then there was her promise to stay with him no matter what or who threatened. She obviously had overcome her reservations to his behavior with Miriam. He wondered if she decided out of love to accept who and what he was, or if she just pushed the line he'd crossed a little further down. And when he crossed that one would she push the line even further down, or leave for good? And he would eventually cross it. It was almost inevitable the way his life was laid out for him.

That was just something they would have to deal with later. At that moment it had just felt too good to have her next to him.

The old Riddick had decided to weigh in at that point. Just when Richard decided to fight for life. The ruthless part of himself realized that once he was dead, he would be far beyond caring what happened to Zar. 

Or would he? A small niggling doubt wormed itself into his mind. Maybe he loved her so much that even death wouldn't release him from her. There'd been that connection in the service tunnel. Something that had only happened one time before. An occurrence even his strong mind shied away from contemplating.

He often thought that she owned his soul more than he himself did. She did more to keep it alive than he had ever done. Maybe he'd be with her after all. Watching her mourn him, love him, die slowly without him. Or maybe not die so slowly. Maybe she'd suffer at the hands of a psycho merc because of him. Him being unable to do anything about it.

He'd felt the old him slither back into it's little black hole that it had carved into his heart. Unable to stand the light of the love he had for Zar.

No, there'd really been no choice in the matter at all. Life with her, or death with her. 

Still, even with everything she'd been through as an orphan and with Brenner and Leffner, he didn't think she knew what she was getting into. Life on the run was a bitch. She had pretty much always had a steady home, readily available food, a safe place to sleep. They'd be living in the not so cozy places of the galaxy. The places where people didn't ask too many questions.

He couldn't even guarantee that he'd be with her all the time. There'd be times and places where he would have to leave her on her own. And when or if he got captured, she'd take the fall with him. The likeliness of capture higher now that the missing eye made him even more noticeable.

They'd probably never see the kids or Imam again. It being too dangerous for all involved. 

He felt responsible for letting her know what was coming, and felt he owed her one last chance to retain the life she'd built after the death of her family on Jessup 2. 

Her response had been typical Zar. Lips curling in at his stubbornness and his determination to save her from himself, she grated out, "Shut up and get the fuck over yourself! I make my own decisions. I'm sticking, come Hell or high water. What part of 'I love you even unto death' don't you understand?" 

God, he loved that woman. Every aggravating, self-deluding, stubborn, big-hearted inch of her.

So he'd told her to look for bolt cutters.

She had closed her eyes in relief and bent her head to his. Whispering a fervent "Thank you." He had wanted to hold her so badly at that moment. Touch the warmth and solidity that was his woman. His one true anchor to the world of reality.

Once she found some bolt cutters in an utility locker located next to the door, it had been short work to free him. Getting him on his feet had been another matter entirely.

He'd been healing but was still weak as only a tortured body could be. Zar had made him lie still while cleaning up the worst of his wounds. Fresh tears falling as she ran the Ravi Knitter over his gaping eye injury as best as possible. Moisture, especially tears, showed as bruise like darkness to his altered vision. It's cooling properties dulling the normal pinks and whites of heated flesh. Soon her face looked like a giant hemorrhage. 

He'd wanted to kill Miriam with an almost old Riddick determination for the pain she'd caused Zar. But the merc had done her hatchet job well. His mind might be willing, but his flesh wasn't anywhere near being able. They'd have to be happy in just getting away...for the mean time. 

He had no doubt there paths would cross again.

Taking pity on Zar, he'd taken over the doctoring himself. Asking her to get his goggles. For half a minute she'd hesitated. Cupping her face and rubbing his thumb over her lips, he reassured her that he could handle it. Giving her a ghost of a smile that felt as if it might break his face if he had to keep it up for long.

But it had done it's job because she had helped him sit up slowly on the bench. His body had screamed in pain. Every cut and bruise making itself heard. His head beginning a dizzyingly deep throb as the blood rushed down from his brain. Zar had seen the effort it was taking him to not fall back onto the bench. Reaching into her goody bag, she'd brought out two capsules of a very strong pain killing narcotic. 

It was called 'Heaven' on the streets, for it's obvious results. It was a hot property in the penal system at the time he escaped. He'd wondered how a clean nosed woman like Zar knew about, much less had access, to it. His amazement must have shown because her face brightened to an almost white hot flush as she told him where she'd gotten it. Seems that some of her fellow employees had a side business in the dealing of illegal pharmaceuticals. They had given her a free sample with encouragement to try it. That she would love it. And to remember where she could get more of that 'great' feeling. 

Not wanting to raise waves, she'd taken them home with the intention of flushing them down the toilet. For some reason she'd never gotten around to it. Must have been fate. 

Laughing to himself at Zar's innocent embarrassment, he'd refused the capsules. Liquor was one thing, drugs another entirely. He'd done a bit of experimenting himself as kid in the foster homes, and the military was a regular smorgasbord of dope, but the ugly experience with the Profearaben had turned him stringently non-user. He'd rather rely on his own potent brain. He truly believed it was the one thing that made him such a hard mother fucker to kill. The Profearaben not withstanding.

It had taken a few deep concentrating breaths to tune out all the pain. But his extraordinary and well honed survival instinct soon came through. Within minutes his body was once again under his control. It had made the evidence of his loss of control harder to stomach. Knowing the various body fluids, and their accompanying smells, were evidence of his weakness and stupidity. Weakness and stupidity that Miriam Gonzalez had taken advantage of.

It shamed him that Zar had seen him like that. Another debt the disturbed merc owed him.

But that would have to be taken care of another day. He needed to get himself and Zar as far away from Gonzalez as soon as possible. He didn't think Miriam would let the authorities know that Richard B. Riddick was still alive. She had the very powerful motive of revenge, and greed, to keep the secret to herself. Wouldn't want other greedy little merc's horning in on her trophy. Merc's were mostly like that. Very uncooperative with each other most of the time. It made it a little easier for an escapee. But not much. Still, Gonzalez was a very formidable force to deal with by herself.

When he'd felt strong enough to stand, he'd given it a go. And would've fallen on his ass if Zar hadn't been there to lower him to the bench. With only one eye, his depth perception sucked. It would take a while to adjust.

A new fear had arisen. Would he be able to fly them out of there?

He'd seen the same scared question in Zar's eyes. 

The only way off the station was to steal The Hollerste. 

He had no doubt he would've been able to pilot her under normal circumstance. Hell, he'd even taken off of Taurus 2 in an ancient tub with deep gouges taken out of his leg. 

Once they were out in space it wouldn't be a big deal. But navigating within the station itself, that was always tricky. 

But they really had no choice. Hiding on the station until his sight had adjusted just wasn't a viable option. The merc would be back sooner rather than later.

They'd just have to cope. Due to the kind of work she did on the dock Zar was technically inclined, so he could rely on her to help.

Eventually they got him dressed and standing.

The whole while he felt the minutes flying by. Bringing Miriam back that much sooner. In his current condition he knew he couldn't protect either himself or Zar from her. Discretion was definitely the better part of valor in this instance.

Once steadily on his feet, he found his vision not so impaired and his strength more reliable. Must've been the Profearaben. Never thought he'd be grateful for that vile witches brew, but he had been at the moment.

He'd led Zar into the bridge of the ship. Telling her to start clearing the roadblocks she'd put in Miriam's way. He'd been very impressed with the way her fingers had flown over the keyboard. Almost being turned on by the deep concentration she used to fool the stations data base once again. He and his body had been the focus of her diligence many times. Damn, he always did have a thing for the smart ones. 

She must have felt his semi-lustful stare because she had glanced over at him. Seeing his goggled face with its lecherous smirk, she'd been unable to resist smiling back. 

It felt like old times on that bridge. The two of them smiling at each other in true happiness. Something that hadn't happened in a very long time. Leaning over, he'd kissed her with all of his Riddick style. A deep kiss of lust, love and masterful technique. 

When he'd pulled back he'd been chauvinistically pleased to see her somewhat blindsided by the kiss. It was nice to know that with everything they'd been through individually and together, that he could still heat her blood. But soon enough she'd shaken it off. Giving him rolling eyes and a lip twist to show what she thought of his machinations. 

He'd turned back to his console to get the ship ready to take off. He'd known that once Zar cleared the departure blocking orders that the merc would know within minutes and would high-tail back to the ship. So they had only a precious few minutes to get out. Zar had given them more time by not only freeing them, but also juggling the departure order. They would be given first priority.

There'd been only a few minutes of uncertainty as he'd shuttled The Hollerste on the dock. But his old pilot skills soon compensated for the lack of one eye. Guess it was like riding a bike.

As they had taken off, he'd kept waiting for all Hell to break loose. A shot across the bow with the station control tower demanding they return immediately. A squadron of ships latched onto their tails. 

But miraculously, nothing happened. 

He guessed even the Riddick's of the world caught a break now and then. Or maybe it was God's way of keeping Zar safe. She certainly deserved it a Hell of a lot more than he did.

For the last three months they had taken the back shipping lanes. Miriam had stocked the ship well. They wouldn't have to stop for supplies for another month.

Time, and the Profearaben, had healed him completely. The scars would take a long time to fade though. When not wearing the goggles, he wore an old fashioned eye patch. Zar had told him he looked like a pirate. Said it made him even sexier.

The Hollerste was a pretty good sized ship. A main bridge, three crew rooms and four cargo bays, one of which housed the main drive engine. He and Zar had managed, somehow, not to get on each other's nerves. 

They were four months away from the Delightful Mining Clusters. A concentration of planetary systems that had been so named by some chart-making smart ass. Richard figured from all that he'd heard about them that they should've been named the Shit-Hole Mining Clusters. One of the most inhospitable set of planetary systems known to man, they had little aesthetic qualities.

But they were rich in Sargimite and always needed miners. Very few questions were asked as to origins or verifiable names. If you were breathing and looked liked you could operate heavy machinery you were hired. An easy place to get lost in. 

He'd probably be able to get a new eye there. Maybe even a shined one. The turnover rate due to death was high and they always kept spare body parts in stasis to repair those not killed.

He worried about how Zar would cope. It would not be an easy life. But she was the strongest woman he'd ever known. Even stronger than Carolyn Fry. The woman whose sacrifice had brought him back to the human race. A sacrifice that had led him to a life with Audrey, Hill and his Zar. Audrey and Hill would probably be lost to him forever. But he had Zar. A gift more precious than anything he'd ever received before. Why the God he so distrusted and disliked favored him with her...he had no idea. But he was grateful nonetheless. And humbled just a bit.

He was back to not knowing what the future held. While on Polaris Station it hadn't been that way. He'd gotten used to the predictability. Now he was back to being an escapee thanks to Miriam Gonzalez. But this time it was subtly different. This time there was Zar to share the unknown with him. For better or worse, it made it less burdensome.

Zar shifted in her sleep as he moved his fingers from her hip to her face. Brushing back the hair from her face. He knew she worried about Audrey and Hill. Missed them like a lost limb. But she never spoke of it with him. Her way of protecting him? Or her way of dealing with the loss? Either way he heard her praying for them every night. A note of sadness entering her voice when she gave their names to God to watch over. 

Gently he moved her onto her back. Moving his palm down between her breasts, over her stomach, then beyond. Feeling her body awaken to his touch. Followed soon by her mind. 

She raised lids on sleepy blue eyes. Smiling softly into his face and lifting arms to enfold him around his waist as he fitted himself between her parted legs.

As he slipped into her warm body he felt the things he always felt when he was with her, in her. Peace, desire, acceptance, love. Home.

He owed her so much. So much more than what she would get as the woman of a galaxy-class murdering escapee. But, as she had told him a number of times, she made her own decisions. 

She was where she wanted to be.

A very special and heartfelt "thank you" 

to everyone who has read this story.


End file.
